An Awfully Big Adventure
by Dreamlessly17
Summary: The Darling children often told stories about pirates and the immortal boy Peter Pan, not knowing that all of it was true. However, there was one person they overlooked a mermaid with a mysterious parentage and an obessession with shiny things. A Peter Pan (2003) story with Peter's pal Aria.
1. Through the Window

**AU: Peter Pan **

**AN: **_I got up again in the magic of Peter Pan and had to repost this. I edited a bit and hope you enjoy it. _

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_**All Children Grow Up**_

_**Except One **_

"Cinderella flew through the air…far from all things ugly and ordinary. When she landed at the ball she found herself most impertinently surrounded by pirates. There was Alf Mason, so ugly his mother sold him for a bottle of Muscat. Bill Jukes every inch of him tattooed," Wendy narrated, setting the scene for her and her brothers' game of pretend, "And worst of them all, Hook with eyes blue as forget –me-nots, save when he clawed your belly with the iron hook he has…instead of a right hand, at which time…his eyes turns red."

John grabs a nearby wooden sword and stood up. He held his word out menacingly at his sister.

"'Girlie,' said Hook, 'we have come for you ye glass slippers.' "

"Who be you to order me about and call me girlie?" Wendy responded, before using her own sword to fight her brother.

"Take that!" John said, hitting his sister's sword.

"Take that! Take that!" Wendy called out. The pair moved back and forth across the nursery neither one backing down. However they were so distracted by their play fighting they didn't notice the girl and boy watching them from the window. The pair came often to window to hear the stories Wendy and her mother told.

"Commoner!" John, as Hook, insulted his sister.

"Hook came at her." Wendy narrated. John let out a battle cry and ran towards her. Wendy managed to duck in time and her brother ended up ramming his sword into the book case, causing some of the books to fall. Wendy shook the books off her back and stood up from her protective crouch.

"What happened next? What happened next?" Michael asked excitedly.

"The brave Cinderella settled the matter once and for all…with her revolver

"Her revolver?" John exclaimed. At that moment their dog Nana, started barking at the window. She had finally noticed the strange children at their window and was not pleased with them watching her charges. The three of them rushed them to the window to see what had gotten their beloved Nana into a tizzy. Wendy threw open the window to see what was there. The siblings peered over the edge of their balcony, but they didn't see anything not a bird or a leaf. Nor did they see the wild younglings hiding on their roof, watching them.

The cuckoo clock in the hall went off distracting the children from their search of what had bothered Nana.

"Bath time." Wendy said. Michael immediately took off, flinging off his nightgown as he went. He doesn't hate bath time as much as he said he did. Well, he didn't like the bath part, but he did enjoy running around like an Indian and having Nana chase after him.

Michael ran down the long hallway letting out an Indian war cry. Nana rushed him and Michael flew into the air and landed on the back of his trusty Saint Bernard. Nana continued to gallop down the hallway to the bathroom. Suddenly, she stopped short causing Michael to fly off her back into the bathtub.

"Not fair!" Michael complained once he resurfaced. Nana barked and then licked the face of her young charge.

"No. No, I will not forgive you."

Nana was not convinced that she couldn't win him over and continued to lick him.

"Alright, alright I forgive you." He submitted. Nana pulled back and let out a soft bark. She then plopped down by the door while Michael took a bath. About 10 minutes later John came to the doorway.

"Hurry up, Michael, Aunt Millicent's here and mother said she'd play for us tonight." John said.

"Coming," Michael answered, "Nana, can you bring me a towel?"

The canine nursemaid nodded and brought a towel over to him. He quickly readied himself into his clothes so he could head downstairs with his family. Aunt Millicent looked up the moment he walked in.

"Michael, child, come here." She called out to him. Michael rolled his eyes and went over and kissed his mother's aunt on the cheek. Once he pulled away, she straightens his collar. She then released him and he eagerly runs to where his siblings were sitting by the piano.

Mrs. Darling was playing one of the family's favorites as Mr. Darling led them all in song. The siblings all grasped hands as they came in on the chorus singing loudly. John soon pulls his sister up and the pair dance around the room to Aunt Millicent's shock. Michael follows after them trying to keep up with his older siblings. Once they got too loud, Mr. Darling wrapped up his song and stepped in.

"Alright, Alright, less noise." He herded his children back to the settee, "Let's settle down. This is not a farm."

"Bravo, George, Bravo." Aunt Millicent complemented though if it was for George's singing or parenting was unclear.

"Wendy's turn!" John exclaimed.

"Wendy must tell a story." Michael seconded. Wendy got up to stand in the middle of the room as her mother played a dramatic chord.

"Cecco, who carved his name on the governor at Goa." John requested.

"Noodler, with his hands on backwards." Michael said.

"Heavens." Aunt Millicent exclaimed, disturbed at the dark tales.

"Hook!" Michael cried.

"Hook?" Aunt Millicent nervously exclaimed.

"Hook, whose eyes turn red as he guts you." John exclaimed making a slashing motion over Michael's teddy bear's stomach.

"Upon my soul, how children are educated nowadays." Aunt Millicent commented. Mr. Darling laughed nervously at her comment always self-conscious about is family's position and people's opinions.

"I'm afraid I am not learned at all, Aunt." Wendy replied, "But I do know a thing or two about pirates."

Her aunt let another distressed noise.

"My unfulfilled ambition is to write a great novel in three parts about my adventures.

"What adventures?" her aunt asked on the verge of a heart attack.

"I've yet to have them, but they will be perfectly thrilling." Wendy said twirling around. Her mother smiled fondly, but her father's smile was strained. Her aunt raised her hand to stop her.

"But, child, novelists are not highly thought of in good society." Her aunt warned her, "And there is nothing so difficult to marry as a novelist."

"Marry?" Wendy, her brothers, and her father asked in surprise.

"But, Aunt," Mrs. Darling protested, "Wendy is not yet 13."

"Walk toward me, dear, that I may appraise you." Millicent told her grandniece beckoning her forward.

"Go on," Mr. Darling urged. "Walk to your auntie. Stand up straight."

Wendy did as her Aunt and father commanded, covering her nervousness with giggles. Her brother's laughed at her as she walked towards their aunt.

"Stop it!" Mr. Darling hissed.

"Turn around," Her aunt ordered once Wendy was close enough. Wendy spun around slowly, hushing her brothers when she faced them.

"Mmm. Yes." Her aunt said talking Wendy's hands in her own, "Oh, it's quite as I expected. Wendy possesses a woman's chin."

Wendy worryingly touched her chin. She didn't want a woman's chin; she had no desire to grow up.

"Have you not noticed?" her aunt questioned Mr. and Mrs. Darling, "Observer her mouth. There, hidden in the right-hand corner, is that a kiss?"

Mrs. Darling gasped. She didn't want to believe that her little girl was growing up.

"A kiss?" John says.

"Like Mother's kiss." Michael added. Mrs. Darling reached up to touch the right hand corner of her mouth.

"A hidden kiss." Millicent explained.

"But what is it for?" Wendy asked. Her aunt smiled and stood up.

"It is for the greatest adventure of all." She said as she started walking towards her, "They that find it…have slipped in and out of heaven."

"Find what?"

"The one that kiss belongs to."

"My Wendy," Mr. Darling said softly, "a woman."

"Almost a woman." Her aunt said in finality.

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After Aunt Millicent made her announcement about Wendy the children were sent to bed. But once they knew their parents had returned downstairs, the three of them crept downstairs to listen at the parlor door.

"She must spend less time with her brothers…" they overheard their Aunt Millicent tell their parents, "and more time with me."

All three of them gasp.

"She must have her own room. A young lady's room."

"Leave the n-"Michael started to protest loudly, but John quickly covers his mouth.

"George," Millicent continued, "the daughter of a clerk cannot hope to marry as well as that of a manger. You must attend more parties, make small talk with your superiors at the bank. Wit is very fashionable at the moment."

"Wit." George said nervously clasping his wife's hand. He was an introverted person and the idea of talking to his superiors had him practically shaking in his boots. But he could see the wisdom in Millicent's words and promised himself he would try harder, for Wendy, for his family.

They went on to discuss other things and the children snuck back upstairs. The moment the nursery door shut, the brothers stared protesting the potential relocation of their sister.

"You cannot leave the nursery, Wendy." Michael cried, "Who will tell us stories and play games with us?"

"Yes, Wendy, you can't leave." John seconded.

"And I don't want to leave, but it's up to mother and father." Wendy replied. Though inside she was furious at her aunt for intervening. She began herding her littlest brother over to his bed and tucked him with a kiss to his forehead.

"Goodnight, Michael."

"Goodnight, Wendy." He said with a yawn. He then settles into his blankets and closes his eyes. Wendy walks over to John's bed and makes sure he's comfortable. She takes is pirate captain hat off his head and places it on the bed post.

"Goodnight, John."

"Goodnight, Wendy."

Wendy leaves her brother's side and climbs into her own bed. She draws the curtains around her bed and soon drifts off to sleep herself.

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Two figures flew above London hand and hand towards a house in Bloomsbury. The boy made it there before the girl and peered into nursery. The girl flew next to him and looked in as well.

"I thought you said there would be stories, Peter." The girl complained.

"We must have missed them." He told her, "Let's go home."

"No, I did not fly all the way out here for nothing, maybe they have shiny things." The girl said slowly lifting the window.

"Aria!" He whispered yelled.

"Shh…you'll wake them up." She admonished, "You cannot tell me you haven't wanted to go inside before."

She then slipped under the window and landed softly. She immediately began looting through drawers and cabinets for small trinkets or objects that caught her eye. Peter sighed with a roll of his eyes and followed in after. He knew how she was like when she was treasure hunting. She wouldn't give up till every spot had been searched through or she found something amazing.

One of the boys started snoring loudly peaking Aria's interest. He sounded like one of the animals they had on Neverland. She padded softly over to him and looked at him oddly. Peter spotted her standing over the boy and felt a strange feeling in his stomach. He didn't like it and he didn't like Aria so near to another boy.

"Aria." He complained.

"He sounds like a Neverbeast." She replied with a small laugh. Peter chuckled and wondered over to her, taking her hand in his. He peered at the boy as he made another snoring snort. Peter didn't think the boy looked special not like he was. He knew he wouldn't hold Aria's attention for long.

"He's a pirate." Aria said in disgust as she spotted the boy's hat on the bed post. The tone she used made Peter happy to know she had now lost interest. She turns from the boy and goes back to her search. Peter gave the sleeping boy a smug look and went to Aria's side.

"A-ha." She exclaimed quietly, pulling out a hand-held mirror from a drawer. It was silver and had a beautiful French design. Aria admired herself in its reflective surface, playing with her hair. She turned in it her hand for a moment before placing it in her bag.

"Can we go now?" Peter asked. Aria rolled her eyes before nodding at her friend. She grabbed his hand and started leading him to the window. As she wasn't looking where she was going, she tripped over a toy that had escaped the Darling children's tidying up. She started to fall forward, but Peter grabbed her, turning her around to face him as he caught her. He pulled her up not realizing how close she would be. They stared at each other blushingly, until a sound from one of the beds startled them. The pair turned and saw the girl was waking up. When she spotted them she made a loud gasping noise that woke up Nana. The pair, seeing they were caught, raced to the window. Peter pushed Aria through the window ahead of him, and as he made his way to slip out behind her, Nana got a hold of his shadow. Seeing he was caught Aria grabbed his hands and pulled. Somehow the window shut separating Peter from his shadow. The two shot up in the sky the moment they were free.

"Peter, your shadow." Aria said worryingly, when they came to a stop above the Darling house

"We'll have to come back for it tomorrow," he said, "Come on let's go home."

He held out his hand for her to take. She looked at him and then down at the house. She turns back to her friend realizing he's right that and takes his hand. Peter smiles at her and they fly off towards the star that opens the portal to their home.

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Wendy raced to the window where she had seen the boy and girl fly through. If well, she wasn't dreaming, and they really were flying. She looked out but didn't see anything. She ignored the barking Nana who had her eye on Peter's shadow, and raced out into the hall. She dug through the drawer out there for a candle, and lit one before heading outside. But when she got to the courtyard there was no body or a sign that anyone had been there. She looked up to see if the pair were on the roof but all she saw where two shooting star streak across the sky.

Puzzled Wendy returned to her room. She was so sure she had seen a boy in her girl in her room. The pair had looked like wild things. The girl wore a deep blue shimmering skirt that had a tear that went up to her thigh. It was not the skirt of a proper young lady at all. Her top was purple and the only thing keeping it up were two small strings tied around her neck. And even more scandalous was that her shirt showed off her stomach. Wendy did not think the girl very pretty with her tangled red hair and inappropriate clothing. The boy, however, she found quite handsome. Like the girl he had a wild look with his windswept hair and his clothing made of leaves, but there was something about his look that Wendy found fascinating. She drifted off to sleep imaging her instead of the wild girl in the boy's arms, flying off to far off places, and having all those adventures she told her Aunt she would have.

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At the school the following morning, when Wendy should have been working on her embroidery, Wendy found herself sketching the image of the boy she saw the night before. The picture was of her sitting in her bed and she drew the boy with wings flying around her room. As she was touching up the wings, a ruler slams down on the paper. She looks up in fright and spots the head mistress standing over her with a disapproving scowl. The head mistress took the notebook from Wendy.

"We will discuss your disobedience after school, Ms. Darling." The woman said sternly.

"Yes, Miss Fulsom." Wendy said softly. The headmistress pursed her lips and continued to walk between the aisles. This time however she kept a closer eye on Wendy as she made her rounds. The rest of the day seemed to drag on for Wendy. She felt like she was on her way to the gallows. She sat in her seat as all the other girls packed their satchels and left the room. Once the last girl had vacated the room, Miss Fulsom called Wendy to the front. Wendy walked with her head down to face her judge. The headmistresses open Wendy's notebook and pointed to the sketch Wendy had drawn.

"If this is you in your bed, what is this?" She asked sternly. Wendy hesitated for a moment, before answering.

"A boy."

Miss Fulsom's eyes bulged out of her head, and she quickly shut the book. She told Wendy to return to her seat while she wrote a letter to her father. Wendy nodded and returned to her seat. Miss Fulsom wrote a short note requesting Mr. Darling's presence at his earliest convenience to discuss Wendy's distracted behavior and unseemly drawings. She gave the letter to a redheaded delivery boy who gave Wendy a cruel smile. He may not have known contents of the letter but he delivered enough notes for Miss Fulsom to know she was in trouble. Wendy looked sadly at her desk, she knew that this letter would cause her father to be disappointed in her and ruin any hope she had of convincing him that she should stay in the nursery a little longer.

Wendy walked home with her brothers and Nana as once condemned, her guilt was evident to everyone who passed her by. And then…fate. She saw the delivery boy from earlier on his bike.

"The letter." She exclaimed. She then tore after him, "Wait, stop!"

"Wendy, wait." Michael called after her.

"Come back." John yelled, before following after Michael and Nana who had started after her. Wendy followed the boy all the way to the bank, calling after him to stop as she went. The boy didn't hear her and walked into the bank. Seconds later Wendy burst through the door, running at full speed.

"Father!" she called out, "I can explain."

The mail boy turned and saw her chasing after him and began running to Mr. Darling holding out the letter to him.

"No!" Wendy yelled. At that moment Nana had run in as well, but the wet tile caused her to slide across the floor taking out both Wendy and the boy. The three of them slid right into Mr. Darling and his superiors knocking them all down. Papers flew everywhere, and John and Michael arrived just in time to see the mess. Mr. Darling couldn't have been angrier or more humiliated.

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"I have been humiliated," Mr. Darling ranted to his family that evening, as he pulled Nana to the back courtyard. His family followed after him protesting his cruel treatment of Nana.

"No," he insisted, "I must become a man that children fear and adult respect, or we shall all end up in the street!"

"George, not so loud." Mrs. Darling said trying to calm her husband.

"The neighbors will hear." Aunt Millicent warned.

"Let them hear." He said defiantly, pointe at Nana "Let the whole world know! This is not a nurse! This is a dog."

Nana whined and looked up at him with sad eyes. But Mr. Darling was too angry to feel remorse as he ripped off Nana's nurse bonnet. His whole family gasps and even Aunt Millicent, who always said a dog was not a nurse, looked appalled.

"Tomorrow you begin your instruction…" Mr. Darling said turning to his daughter, "with Aunt Millicent. It's time for you to grow up!"

Aunt Millicent put what was supposed to be a comforting hand on Wendy's shoulder, but Wendy just felt like it was her doom. Mr. Darling ushered his family back inside, leaving poor Nana out in the snow. Mrs. Darling led the children upstairs to get ready for bed and then slipped off to her room to get dressed for Mr. Darling's work party. Once she was ready she headed to the children's room to say goodnight to them. She brought along a long match so she could light the nightlights for her children.

"Mother?" Michael asked his mother as she was checking the window, "Can anything harm us after the night-lights are lit?"

"No, precious," she answers him; "They are the eyes a mother leaves behind to guard her children."

She then walked over to Wendy's bed and pulled the sheer curtains around her bed. Wendy propped herself up,

"Mother, must you go to the party?" Wendy asked.

"Please, mother." Michael said getting out of bed.

"Yes mother. You don't have to go. Father can go by himself."

"Please, mother." Michael pleaded.

"By himself?" their mother asked, "Your father is a brave man. But he's going to need the special kiss to face his colleagues tonight."

"Father? Brave?" Wendy asked in disbelief. John shook his head in agreement; he didn't find his father as hero like the ones in Wendy's stories.

"There are many different kinds of brave. There's the bravery of thinking of other before oneself. Now your father has never brandished a sword nor fired a pistol, thank heavens. But he's made many sacrifices for his family…and put away many dreams."

"Where did he put them?" Michael asked.

"He put them in a drawer," she answered. "And sometimes, late at night, we take them out and admire them. But it gets harder and harder to close the drawer. He does. And that is why he is brave."

Wendy nodded even though she did not completely understand what her mother was saying. But if mother said it was a brave thing to do it must be true. Mrs. Darling tucked the boys back into bed and pressed kisses on their foreheads. She then returned to Wendy and sat on the edge of her bed.

"Don't worry my love; your father will not be angry forever. And growing up isn't all that bad you'll see." Her mother told her. She then kissed her forehead and walked to the door.

"Goodnight, my loves." She said.

"Goodnight, Mother." The three said in unison. Mary smiled and closed the door. Once the door was closed the children settled under the blankets all three were soon fast asleep.

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Peter hid behind a cloud as he watched the Darling house. He needed to get his shadow back, and with the dog outside tonight he should be safe. Aria had wanted to come with him, but Peter didn't want to risk her be near the other boy again, even if he wasn't as special as he was. Once the parents had left for the evening Peter nodded to Tinkerbell, his fairy, and she flew over to the house. She flew to the window and after some careful maneuvering was able to unlock the window. Then with all her might she lift the window, opening it enough for Peter to get through. She ducked under the pane and zipped through the room looking for Peter's shadow. She couldn't understand why he didn't just bring Aria instead, she was the best at treasure hunts. But then again Tinkerbell didn't understand boys in general.

She dipped under the beds, looting through the stuff below to see if Peter's shadow was there. Not seeing him she flew to the wardrobe, she flung the doors open and checked all the pockets. Once again her search was a bust and she went over to the book shelf to check the top shelf. She knocked every book down, but still no shadow. The noise she had created from knocking down the books woke one of children and Tinkerbell hid behind the nightlight to disguise her glow. The girl seems to look right at her, but she didn't seem to really notice her and she dropped back on her pillow.

Once the girl had fallen back asleep, Tink zipped out of the room into the hall. She spotted a dresser and peered into the key hole of the top drawer. She looked around until she spotted the shadow in the corner of the drawer. She sensed that Peter had arrived and flew back into the nursery to tell him the good news. She told him in her bell like language that she had found his shadow. He smiled and flew after her out of the room. She landed on the dresser and pointed eagerly at the drawer beneath her. She was so excited she started squealing. Peter made a cut it out sign with his arms.

"Shh!" he hissed. Tink closed her mouth and tried to contain him. She then held one finger.

"One," he said, and she held up another, "two, three!"

Peter pulls up the drawer releasing the shadow.

"Aha!" Peter exclaimed. The shadow shoots up along the wall to the ceiling and Peter dives for his shadows leg.

"Come here you." He says as he holds on tight. The two struggle and in the chaos, Tinkerbell gets shoved and closed in the drawer. Peter's shadow pulls Peter along the hallway still trying to flee the boy he belonged to. He manages to shake himself loose of Peter only to come face to face with Aunt Millicent who had come upstairs to see what the noise was.

Aunt Millicent looked startled at the wild looking shadow. She touches her hair to see if it's as crazy as her shadows. It didn't feel that way to her, so she looked into the mirror to her left. Her hair looked perfectly normal. When she turns back to look at her shadow, it now looked normal. She moved her right hand to see if the shadow would mimic her like it was supposed to. It was and to test it for sure she quickly deviated from her wave and grabbed the nearby post. The shadow mimicked her movements perfectly, satisfied that all was well she climbed the last few steps and walked down the hall to the children's room.

The shadow saw her back was turned and started to creep away, but Peter who had flown up to the ceiling to avoid Millicent's attention grabbed the hair of his shadow and pulled him up. He flew silently over Aunt Millicent with the shadow in tow, and slipped into the nursery undetected. Peter kept a firm grasp on the shadow and threw him against the end board of one of the beds. He grabbed a block from the floor and held the shadows foot against his and began hitting his foot and the shadow hoping to merged them back together by force. After several tries he realized it wasn't working, and the shadow mocked him for it. He threw the block at his shadow, but he dodged at of the way. He made a mocking gesture at Peter. Frustrated Peter began to cry. Maybe he should have brought Aria; she would know what do or at least would know how to make him feel better. He buried his face in his arms and continued to cry.

"Boy, why are your crying?" A girl's voice asked. It startles him and he flies up and hits the ceiling.

"You can fly!" the girl says excitedly. Peter takes a real good look at her this time. She's the girl who tells the stories. He floats down to the ground and gives her a small bow. The girl quickly gets off her bed and curtsies.

"What is your name?" she asks curiously.

"What is your name?" Peter counters.

"Wendy Moira Angela Darling." She answered proudly. Peter couldn't help to think it was a strange name, and long. Aria was the only other girl he knew and she didn't have along name. The girl began walking towards him and Peter began backing up.

"Peter…Pan."

"Where do you live?"

Peter turned to look at the window and pointed to the star that led home.

"Second to the right and straight on till morning." He told the strange girl. He turns back to the girl, not releasing how close she had gotten. He jumps back.

"They put that on the letters?" she asked still coming closer.

"Don't get any letters." Peter answered, backing up more.

"But your mother gets letters."

"Don't have a mother." He says his back now against the open window.

"No wonder you were crying."

"I wasn't crying about mothers." Peter said indignantly. What use did he have for mothers? Mothers wanted you to grow up. He stormed past her to his shadow, "I was crying because I can't get the shadow to stick. And I wasn't crying."

Peter sat on the floor trying to tie his shadow to his ankle. Wendy took pity on the struggling boy, and knelt down on the round next to him.

"I could sew it on for you." She told him. Peter nodded. Wendy quickly ran out to the hall to open the drawer to get a needle and thread. She completely missed the fairy that was still in there. And with how quickly Wendy opened and closed the drawer, Tinkerbell ended up being squished by a jar of buttons.

Wendy returned to the room and illuminated the room so she could see to sew, she held up the needle and both Peter and the shadow grabbed on to each other.

"This may hurt a little." She warned. The boys held tighter on to each other. She held the shadow against Peter's foot and began sowing. Peter let out some pained noises as she did her job. She finished one foot and then moved on to the second one which Peter didn't think was as bad as the first. Once she finished she asked to borrow his knife, and hesitantly Peter gave it to her. She sliced through the excess thread and knotted the string.

"Thank-you," She said handing him his knife. Peter stood up and saw his shadow was attached to him again, but still flimsy and not quite back to normal. He walked around to see if the shadow would follow him but it was still resistant. But Peter continued on and used the bed post of John and Michael's beds to swing himself and fling the shadow on the wall. The shadow stuck to fall and Peter made a series of crazy movements to see if he had fixed it. When he saw the shadow was back to normal, he jumped and spun around with his hands on his fist.

"Oh, the cleverness of me!" Peter exclaimed.

"Of course, I did nothing." Wendy responded a little miffed.

"Aw, you did a little." Peter responded.

"A little?" Wendy questioned. She got up and walked to her bed and got in, "Goodnight."

Wendy turned over and pulled the covers over her head. Peter now realized he had angered the strange girl. Aria always stormed off and went to her room when he made her mad too. He walked over to her bed, and leaned against the bed post.

"Wendy?" he called, she didn't respond, "One girl is worth 20 boys."

"You really think so?" Wendy asked.

"I live with boys," he said happy that she was responding, "the Lost Boys. They are well named."

"Who are they?" Wendy asked flinging off her covers and sits up.

"Children who fall out of their prams when the nurse is not looking." He says pushing off the bed post. "If they are not claimed in seven days they are sent to Neverland."

"Are there girls too?"

"Just one. Aria, but she was born on Neverland. She says that girls are much too clever to fall out of their prams."

"Aria? Is she the girl that was with you the other night?"

"Yes, she's my best friend. We came to listen to the stories. You tell the best stories."

"Why thank-you. Peter?"

"Yes?"

"I would like to thank you properly for the compliment."

"Alright. How?"

"With a…kiss." Wendy said scooting closer to the foot of the bed. Not knowing what a kiss was Peter held out his hand.

"Don't you know what a kiss is?"

"I shall know when you give me one."

Wendy smiled at him and gifted him with the thimble from her finger. Peter looked at it. It hadn't known what he should have been expecting, but a kiss didn't seem all that great.

"I suppose I'm to give you one now." Peter said.

"If you like." Wendy said closing her eyes, and placing her cheek closer to Peter. Peter looked down at himself. He really didn't have much to give her, but he picked an acorn of his outfit and held it out to her. But Wendy still had her eyes closed. Peter cleared his throat and her eyes flung open. She strangely at the gift, almost disappointed by the object. But she took it anyway.

"Thank-you." She said and moved to get off the bed. She walked over to her dresser and opened her jewelry box.

"How old are you, Peter?"

"Quite young." He answered.

"Don't you know?"

"I ran away. One night, I heard my mother and father talking of what I was to be when I became a man. So I ran away to Kensington Gardens and I met Tink." He told her as he poked a jack-in-a-box, with his knife. It popped open startling him

"Tink?"

"Tinker Bell." He said sheathing his knife. "She's my fairy."

"But there's no such thing as-"Wendy started to say but Peter flew across the room to silence her.

"Don't say that." He told her seriously. "Every time somebody says that, a fairy somewhere falls down dead. And I shall never find her if she's dead, and Aria will be really mad if I lost Tink."

"You don't mean to tell me there's a fairy in this room," Wendy said excitedly.

"She likes the stories too. Aria likes the one about the mermaid who fell in love with a prince. But I like the one about the prince who couldn't find the lady who wore glass slippers."

"Cinderella." Wendy said, once again ignoring his comments about Aria, "Peter, he found her and they—and they…lived happily ever after."

"I knew it." Peter said. Well Aria knew it; she said that's how all good stories end.

"Peter. I should like to give you…a…thimble." Wendy said.

"What's that?" Peter asked. Wendy didn't answer, she just puckered her lips and leaned closer. Now Tinkerbell had been watching the exchange while she was trying to escape the drawer. She didn't like the girl being so close to Peter, it didn't seem right that he'd be that close to any girl but Aria. Aria and she were very close and she wanted to stop this for her. So filled with righteous anger she manages to give the drawer a hard shove and free herself. She took off straight for the girl and pulled her back by her hair before she could Peter a thimble.

"Tink!" Peter yelled when he noticed Wendy being pulled away. Though apart of him was relieved he was uncomfortable by how close Wendy had gotten to him.

Tink dragged Wendy over to her bed and began to bang her head against the bed post. Peter flew over trying to stop her but Tink tugged Wendy again. She pulled her over to the other bed post and went to bang her head again, but Peter grabbed her and threw her on the pillow. Tink quickly got back up and started saying something angrily to Peter in her bell-like language.

"She's not very polite." Peter said apologetically. Tink was getting very graphic with what she would do if Wendy if she tried that again. She also warned Peter she was going to tell Aria about what the girl tried to do too, which made Peter very worried for some reason.

"She's says if you try to give me a thimble again," Peter translated, "she'll kill you."

"Oh," Wendy breathed, "And I had supposed fairies to be charming."

Tinkerbell didn't like that and flew into Wendy's face to blow a raspberry at her. Tink told Peter to come on and flew to the window. Peter raced after her.

"Peter, don't go." She called after him.

"I have to tell the others about Cinderella." He told her.

"But I know lots of stories, stories I could tell the boys."

"Come with me." Peter asked. Tink protested the invitation by tugging harshly on Peter's ear. She didn't like this girl and didn't want her near her home.

"I-I cannot fly." Wendy said.

"I'll teach you. I'll teach you to ride the wind's back." Peter told her holding out his hand, "And away we go."

Wendy backed away from him and went over to her brother's beds.

"Could John and Michael come too?" Wendy asked. Peter looked at the two boys. He wouldn't mind the littlest one coming, Aria had paid him no mind, but he was hesitant about bringing the older boy. She thought his snore was funny. He narrowed his eyes for a moment and thought. If the older boy did come he could show Aria once and for all he was the better boy. Peter doubted the boy was much of a swordsman or could crow. Peter then looked at Wendy and smiled. Wendy bounced with joy and proceeded to wake up her brothers.

"There's a boy here who is to teach us to fly" Wendy exclaimed once they had woken up. John looked at the strange boy in his room. Peter just smiled.

"You offend reason, sir." John said to him.

"Mmm-hmm." Michael seconded. Peter's smiles dropped and he lifted himself up in the air, and then came back and landed on the end post of John's bed. John quickly got out of bed and looked up at Peter.

"I should like to offend it with you." John said.

"You just think happy thought and they lift you in the air." Peter said demonstrating what he meant and then flipping in the air settling Indian style on the ceiling. "It's easy."

"I've got it! I've got it!" John exclaimed running back over to his bed. He climbed up next to his pillow to get running start. "Swords, daggers, Napoleon."

John ran across his bed and jumped off the end. He was air born for only few seconds before he crashed on the ground, right into Wendy's dollhouse. Tinkerbell began to laugh at him, which reminded Peter of a missing ingredient in his instruction for flying. He grabbed TInk and shook her over John. The boy began to rise into the air. Michael got excited and clutched his Teddy tighter as he got on his bed.

"Wendy! Wendy! Watch me!" he exclaimed, "Puddings, mud pies, ice cream, never to take a bath again."

Michael ran off his bed and jumped this time Peter sprinkled dust on him before he fell. Both John and Michael began doing flips in the air. Wendy looked on happily at her brother.

"Your turn," Peter said giving her a handful of dust.

"Sleigh bells, Christmas, snow, mermaids." Wendy said before sprinkling the dust over her head. She lifted up into the air laughingly as she joined her brothers.

"Come away. Come away to Neverland." Peter said standing in the window.

"Oh. What about Mother?" Wendy asked, beginning to descend.

"Father?" John asked.

"Nana?" said Michael.

"There are mermaids." Peter said.

"Mermaids?" Wendy exclaimed rising back in the air.

"Indians."

"Indians." Michael and John said excitedly.

"Pirates."

"Pirates!" Both boys exclaimed. That was enough to convince John and with a cry of joy he flied past Peter out the window.

"John, wait for me!" Michael calls after him as he tumbles out the window. Peter turns expectantly at Wendy, she joins him at the window and Peter flies out the window. When he notices she isn't following he turns back. Wendy is looking in at her bedroom, hesitant about leaving. Peter tapped her shoulder and she turned to look at him.

"Come with me where you'll never have to worry about grown-up things again." Peter said holding out his hand. Peter couldn't fathom why she needed more convincing, who wants to grow up.

"Never is an awfully long time." She said sounding very grown up. Peter just smiled at her, that's what he was counting on. Wendy smiled back and flew to him. He indicated with his head for her to follow and shot up in the sky. They caught up with the other two, and flew over London. At one point Peter dove down to the streets below, whipping pass Mr. Darling's boss.

"Hello, old chap." He greets.

"Good evening." Wendy says politely. John flies by and snatched the man's hat.

"Thank-you," he says as he puts it on his head. The four of them lift off towards the sky flying high about the clouds. Peter leads them higher and higher towards the stars. At some point her turned to the Darling boy next to him.

"Who are you?" Peter asks.

"I'm John." The boy says in a confused tone.

"John." Peter repeated like he was trying to get used to it. But really he was trying to see if it sounded cooler than Peter. It didn't. "Take hold of this."

Peter then shakes his foot in front of John's face. Tinkerbell motions towards it like it's a prize. John gives Peter and his foot a weird look but takes ahold of it with one hand, "Both hands."

John makes an even stranger face but does what he's told.

"Pass it on." Peter yells to him as he takes lead.

"Michael, take hold of my ankle." John tells his little brother. Michael does it without question.

"Wendy, take hold of my ankle." Michael tells his sister. She grabs on tightly.

"And whatever happens, "Peter yells to the group, "don't…let…go!"

And with that, it feels like a vortex is sucking them as they head full speed at a star. They fly into it and a portal opens up for them in to a new land. It's dark at first, but a sun slowly begins to rise in the distance. The image of an island emerges from the darkness.

"Neverland." Wendy whispers reverently.

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_This seems like a good stopping point. Not a lot of Aria in this part, but she will appear more in the next segment. Wendy of course won't like her, but then again neither will Aria. Peter/Aria will be more low-key as they are about 12/13ish and feelings are new. Hope you enjoyed this chapter let me know what you guys think._

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	2. Mermaids, Pirates, and Indians, OH MY!

**AU: Peter Pan **

**AN: **_Here's the next installment in the 2003 version of Peter Pan with my character Aria from my deleted OUAT story. Still unsure if I will repost the larger story, but here's something for all the Paria lovers. _

_**All Children Grow Up**_

_**Except One**_

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Peter led the Darling children closer to the island and then found them a cloud to land on. It gave them a great view of the Jolly Rodger that was presently anchored in Pirates' Cove. Peter pulled out a telescope from his belt and used it to look at the ship belonging to his enemy. Wendy turned to him and looked expectantly at him. Reluctantly, Peter gives in and hands the device over to her. Aria never used the thing, if she wanted a closer look at anything she would just get closer despite the heart attack she knew it would give Peter.

"Forty gunner." Wendy exclaimed happily and to the shock of Peter, "She must do 12 knots under full sail."

John took the telescope from Wendy and scanned the ships inhabitants. All of the sudden he gasps.

"Noodler, with his hands on backwards! Bill Jukes! Every inch of him tattooed." John says, before gasping again, "Hook!"

Both Wendy and Peter go to grab the telescope from him, but Peter managed to get the better hold and took the thing from them both. He held it up to his eye and narrows his sight on the pirate captain. Time to do things Aria's way. Peter turns to the others.

"Let's take a closer look." Peter whispers to them, before bouncing off the cloud, "Yahoo!"

"Peter!" Wendy called after him in concern, bur he ignored her. The girl sighed and then her and her brothers followed Peter as he bounced from cloud to cloud. He jumped off one and did a flip in the air, and when John went to repeat the action, a gust of wind blew off his hat much to his dismay.

Peter finally rested on a cloud closer to the Jolly Rodger. He was unaware that John's hat had blown off and landed on the deck of the Jolly Rodger and had alerted the crew to his presence. He didn't know that while he was watching Hook, Hook was now watching him. But it quickly came to Peter's attention when a cannonball was shot straight at them. Peter managed to push Wendy out of the way of the hurtling bowling ball, but the force of the cannon fire shot her off into the air, while her brothers fell into the hole the ball had created. The boys managed to grab onto the pieces of cloud and were just dangling over the water. Peter looked back and forth between the Darlings and the ship debating with himself on what to do. He decided quickly when another cannonball was fired at them.

"Tink, find Wendy. Leave the rest to me. "Peter told his fairy. Tink nodded and flew off, coming up with the nasty plan to rid them of the Wendy girl. As Tink flew away to enact her plan, Peter jumped off the cloud and flew towards the Jolly Rodger.

"Oh, Captain Hook!" Peter said in a sing-song voice. He circled the ship taunting the Captain as he flew.

"FIRE!" the Captain ordered once Pan got closer. Peter made sure he was right in front of a mast when he saw them about to fire. He shot up into the air once the pirates had fired and the cannonball ending up destroying the ship instead of him.

"Timber!" Peter called out, as he flew away laughing. He couldn't wait to tell the Boys and Aria what he did. So he went to find them completely forgetting about Wendy or the two Darling Boys dangling in the sky above him.

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"What is it?" Aria asked Slightly.

"It's a large white bird." He answered, looking through his spyglass, "Quite ugly too."

"Give me it!" some of the others Lost Boys cry as they made to take the spyglass. Aria just rolled her eyes at them. They were always fighting.

"No!" Slightly protested, "When Peter's away, I'm in charge!"

The boys ignored him and continued to fight over the device. Aria decided to get involved now and began pulling the boys off Slightly. Once she got a couple off, Slightly was able to shake the others off the telescope.

"I get to look through the telescope." Slightly said once he was the victor and looked to Aria for confirmation. She nodded, and he raised the spyglass once more, "It's coming closer."

Slightly was still tracking the bird when the Tink dropped in from above and leaned over the edge of the spyglass to make a face at the Lost Boy. The fairy's brightness momentary blinded the boy.

"My God. I've gone blind!"

The rest of the Lost Ones laughed at him as he dropped the scope and danced around with his hand covering his face.

"I'm blind. I've gone blind. I'm blind." The boys mimicked their friend. Tink flew around to catch their attention before landing on Aria's shoulder.

"Hello, Tink." Aria greeted still laughing, "Where's Peter?"

"Hello Tink," the twins said in unison as they ran up to Aria. The other boys greeted the fairy as well.

"Anymore news of Cinderella?" Tootles asked Tink. Tink nodded before turning to say something in Aria's ear, besides Peter and Tootles, she was the only other one that spoke fairy.

"Tink says the bird's called a 'Wendy.' And Peter wants us to-"

The fairy flew off Aria's shoulder and mimicked shooting the bird down.

"Shoot it down." Aria finished. All the boys grin at the prospect of being the one to shoot down such a large bird. Aria however was unsure, she was sure she had heard the name Wendy before…but she just couldn't remember. But if Peter wanted them to shoot it down, shoot it down she would.

"Well, we have our orders." Slightly said trying to regain control of the situation, "Shoot the Wendy bird."

"Aye, aye!" The Boys and Aria said as they drew their bows.

"Ready!" Slightly called out, "Aim! Fire!"

Everyone let loose their arrows upon the Wendy-bird. They watched as one of the arrows hit the bird in the chest and she drifted to the ground.

"I got it." Tootles said softly, before exclaiming," I got!"

The Lost Ones all gave a great shout and raced towards where the bird had landed, whooping and hollering as they went. When they came across the body, they realized something…it wasn't a bird it was…a girl. The boys stop short as the realization of what happened dawned on them. After a few moments they walk slowly to the girl.

"That is no bird." Slightly said.

"It is a lady," Curly finished for him.

"And Tootles…" the Twins start.

"Tootles has killed her." Aria and the other Lost Boys say in unison.

"HA!" Peter exclaims as he drops in from above, the Lost Ones gasp and moved to hide the body more, "I'm back! Great news I know what happened to Cinderella. She defeated the pirates. There was stabbing, slicing, torturing, bleeding… and they lived happily ever after."

"Knew it." Aria muttered.

"Well that's a relief I must say." Slightly replied, and the rest of the Boys made noise of agreement.

"Greater news," Peter started, "I have brought you she that told of Cinderella. She is to tell us stories. She is…"

The Lost Ones part themselves and reveal their crime.

"Dead." Slightly finished Peter's sentence, "Tragic, Awful."

"Good shot though." Nibs commented. Peter leaned over the girl.

"Whose arrow?" Peter asked, as he pulled it from Wendy and straightened up. Nibs looks at Tootles, who stepped forward taking off his hat and handing it to Curly.

"Mine, Peter." Tootles said bravely, he pulled his shirt down and exposed the patch of skin above his heart, "Strike Peter, strike true."

Peter goes to stab his Lost By, when Aria gets between the two. She looks Peter straight in the eye daring him to try.

"He didn't mean it Peter, we all though she was a bird." Aria explained.

"A bird?" he asked, "Why would you think that?"

"She was very high up and she look like a large ugly white bird. We thought we'd give the feathers to you and make a headdress." Aria told Peter, and it wasn't really a lie they all did think it was a bird.

"A headdress?" Peter asked.

"Yes, like the one the Chief has."

"Can I still get one?"

"I'll make you one myself, but Tootles is the best helper and I can't do it without him."

"Alright he can live." Peter said. Suddenly the girl moaned, and drew everyone's attention to her.

"The Wendy lives." Curly announced. They all knee down around her. Peter leans closer and pulled on the chain around her neck. He pulls out the acorn he had gifted her with earlier and saw a hole where the arrow had pierced.

"It's my kiss." Peter said. Aria whipped her head at him, her face red with anger.

"Your what?!" She hissed at him.

"My kiss." He repeated not even looking at her.

"Your kiss?!" She said getting up, and stalking off. Peter noticed that, and got up too. He goes to go after her when Tink drops down in front of him and spits in his face before following after her friend.

"Aria!" He called after the mermaid, he tried again to go after her, but a moan from behind him reminded him that Wendy was still there. He turned back to the boys, "Carry her back to the house."

Peter then walked over to Nibs, the boy Aria was closest to after him.

"Did I do something wrong?" He asked Nibs. Nibs smirked.

"Is she still here?"

Peter looked around before shaking his head.

"Then yes, you probably did something terrible." Nibs answered for him. Peter nodded and started once again to go after his best friend.

"Peter?" Slightly called after his leader, "Our hands are a bit dirty."

Peter looks down at his own hands and realizes it's true.

"Then build a house around her…with a knocker and a…chimney." Peter told his men, "I'll meet you at the treehouse later."

With that being said Peter shot up in the sky and began the search for his friend.

"Good luck." Tootles said under his breath, he had been on the receiving end of the mermaid's wrath and would not wish it one anyone. Nibs smirked at the comment and laughed along with the other boys. Once they got it all out, they got to work on the house for the Wendy lady.

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"Aria!" Peter called after his friend, "Aria, come on!"

Peter finally spotted her trudging through the jungle with TInk leading the way. He flew down in front of her. She was startled at first, but her expression soon morphed into an angry on. She shoved him away and continued on her way. Tink got in his way when he tried to catch up with her. When he realized he wasn't going to get past the fairy he called out to his friend.

"Aria! Just tell me what I did wrong." Peter pleaded. Aria stopped short, and turned on him.

"You kissed her! How could you kiss her?" Aria yelled at him. Tink made a face when she heard the wrath in her voice and slowly started creeping away from the pair, before shooting off to get away from them.

"Well she gave me a kiss first, so I gave her one in return." Peter responded.

Aria threw her hands up in frustration, and started to stalk off again. Peter still wasn't getting what was wrong, maybe…she wanted a kiss too. He looked around and found a small purple flower near him.

"Would you like me to give you a kiss?" Peter asked, that stopped Aria in her tracks.

"No." she said glaring at him over her shoulder.

"It's a really nice kiss." Peter tried again holding out the purple flower.

"What is that?" she asked as she turned around and cocked her head.

"A kiss." Peter answered. Aria looked at the flower and then looked at Peter before she started laughing. Peter was confused.

"That's not a kiss." Aria laughed.

"Than what is it?"

"That is a flower, a small gift. A kiss is when you touch your lips to someone."

"Can you show me?" Peter asked.

"No." Aria said, "But I will take the flower. Do you mind putting it in my hair?"

Peter nodded and stepped closer to his friend till he was directly in front of the girl. He always had mixed feelings about standing so close to her. On one hand he made him feel weird. There was an odd sensation in his stomach that he never knew quite how to react to. And he didn't like not looking confident in front of her. Yet on the other hand, he liked being this close to her. She smelled beautiful, like home and the ocean. And he liked holding her hand it gave him a warm feeling and he felt like he could do anything so as long as he had her.

Peter moved one side of her hair up before using the flower to keep it pinned there. He had seen Aria do this hundreds of times. It was his favorite way she wore her hair. His hand lingered a bit longer and necessary near her face before he dropped it in favor of taking her hand.

"I'm sorry." Peter told her. He had learned long ago it was best just to apologize to her even when he didn't understand why she was angry.

"It's not your fault." Aria conceded. He was just a boy what did he know about romance. The girl however…well Aria was not happy with her. Peter beamed at her forgiveness of him.

"The boys are building Wendy a house, do you want to help?" Peter asked. Aria made a face. "Or we could go swimming at the waterfall?"

Aria nodded at that one. Peter smiled and started floating upwards taking Aria with him. Together they soared over the sky until they reached their destination.

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Aria and Peter swam for hour before returning to the treehouse we they all lived. Aria started working on the soup for dinner. She wasn't the best cook but she could at least get things ready for when Curly got here. Peter sat nearby carving something into a piece of wood. He wanted to make a flower Aria could always have in her hair. Real flowers only lasted so long, maybe a wooden one would last longer. He would even paint it blue, like her tail.

Both teenagers were startled from their tasks by screaming coming from one of the entrance slides. Peter grinned and moved to his large chair, it was time for a show. Soon Wendy and the Lost Boys tumbled into the burrow. Aria started walking over to Nibs to help him up when Peter held up a hand to stop her.

"Welcome, Wendy." Peter greeted as he rose from his chair, "Discipline. That's what fathers believe in. Aria, you must spank the children immediately before they try to kill Wendy again. In fact…we should kill them."

He turned upon the boys with a wicked grin before shouting and chasing after them. The boys screamed and ran towards their Mother by Peter's chair. Aria sheltered them behind her and looked challengingly into Peter's eye. Peter stopped and matched her gaze, and the boys shifted nervously behind Aria.

"Peter!" Wendy exclaimed in shock, she was unused to this kind of display. She walked over and stood between the mermaid and Peter, "I agree that they are perfectly horrid, but kill them and they shall think themselves important."

"So important," Slightly agreed from behind Aria's arm.

"And unique." Curly added.

"I suggest something…far more dreadful." Wendy said, pulling a flower off one of the roots, "Medicine."

Peter grinned and took a seat upon his throne, pulling Aria on to his lap. Wendy took note of this, and frowned. But she shook the jealous feelings away, she would show that wild girl that she was best.

"It's the most beastly disgusting stuff," Wendy told the boy taking a whiff of the liquid she had collected in the flower, "The sticky, sweet kind."

After the boys heard her description they all gathered around the throne.

"Kill us, please!" they all begged and pleaded. Peter grinned at them as Aria rolled her eyes.

"Littlest first." Wendy said interrupting their pleas, the boys stop and stand protectively around the Twins, "Michael?"

Everyone else made a strange face. Who was Michael? When no Michael appeared Wendy's face grew concerned.

"Michael. John. My brothers!" Wendy exclaimed.

"Who?" Peter asked. Aria smacked him upside the head. Of course Peter would bring more children with him and forget all about them. It took him three years to learn Nibs' name.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"For being forgetful…Again." Aria said pushing herself off Peter's lap in frustration.

"Well I got distracted." Peter said, rising from his chair.

"You're always getting distracted. Like when you made me wait three hours at the waterfall for you because you got distracted. Or like when you left Curly stuck in one of the Indians' traps all day because you were distracted." Aria argued.

"What about the time you made me wait all day for you by the shore because you got distracted by a shiny thing?"

"There they go again." Nibs whispered with a smirk. He enjoyed when Aria and Peter fought. They were amusing.

"I bet you all my marbles Aria wins again." Tootles said.

"You're on," Curly whispers, "Peter's due for a win."

"Do they always fight like this?" Wendy asked.

"Oh at least once every two weeks." Slightly answered, "It's some of our greatest entertainment. Aria usually wins though, Peter hates when she's upset."

"I told you, I sent Felix the dolphin to tell you I would be late. It's not my fault his wife started to have her baby on their way to tell you." Aria continues with her argument. She had not heard the others, if she had she would have hit the boys as well.

"Well, you still should have come."

"It was a gift for you." Aria pointed out.

"Well then where is it?"

"I didn't give it to you because you yelled at me."

"You were late."

"I sent you a message."

"I didn't get it."

"Just one of the many things you don't get."

"Huh?"

"Exactly."

"Cause you know everything?"

"No, I just get more than you."

"Please."

"Alright if you're so perfect Mr. Know It All, where are her brothers?

Peter opened his mouth to answer, but closed it when he realized he had nothing.

"And who'd to you go to when you don't know something?"

"You." Peter grumbled.

"And?" Aria asked.

"The other mermaids."

Aria smirked triumphantly, before turning to Wendy. Wendy now had a good look at the girl's face. She was a lot prettier than Wendy wanted to admit. She had pale skin that was dotted with freckles that gave her a cute innocent look. Her red hair was beautiful shade and right now by the way the light was hitting it, there seemed to be a halo of gold around the girl's head. Her most fascinating feature however was her blue eyes. Wendy had never seen eyes so blue.

"Sorry about him, Wendy, Father is more than a little forgetful."

"And Mother is usually right." Peter said very, very reluctantly, "We'll take you to the mermaids after supper, they'll know where your brothers are."

Wendy nodded and turned to find a place to sit. She watched as Aria got the boys moving to wash their hands before doing their assigned tasks. Curly was to finish making dinner with the Twins for helpers, Slightly and Tootles were sent off to set the table, and Nibs was to tidy up a bit. Peter had dragged Aria back over to his throne. He seated her on his lap again and they talked in hushed tones. Aria was a bit closed off at first, but Wendy watched as Peter managed to coax a smile out of her. Once he got the smile the other girl became livelier, laughing at things Peter said and so on. Wendy wondered what a friendship like that must be like.

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After everyone had eaten, Aria, Peter, and Wendy headed out to Mermaid Lagoon. Peter left Slightly and Tinkerbell, who had arrived in time for dinner, in charge while the three of them were out. Aria gave the Twins goodnight hugs and told them to go straight to bed after they finished clearing the table. They started to complain until she raised an eyebrow at them that promptly silenced them. She then took Peter's offered hand and the pair shot off into the air with Wendy flying after them.

They flew to the jungle's edge around the mermaid's haunt. Peter squeezed Aria's hand before letting go and heading to the water's edge. Wendy looked between the girl and Peter, wondering where she was supposed to do. Aria didn't seem to be going anywhere, but Peter was already at the water. Aria noticed her confusion and indicated with her head that she should go to Peter. Wendy nodded her thanks and took after Peter. She came alongside him and knelt down next to him.

"Why isn't Aria coming with us?"

"The other mermaids don't like her."

"Other mermaids? Is Aria a mermaid?" Wendy asked in surprise.

"Yes."

"But she doesn't have a tail?"

"She has a tail, but only in the water, while she's on land she has feet." Peter explained somewhat annoyed, didn't she know anything.

"Can all mermaids do that?"

"Some."

"Is that why the other mermaids don't like her?"

"No, it has something to do with her father." Peter answered.

"Who's her father?"

"I don't know, I don't think even Aria knows."

"How awful." Wendy said, Peter looked at her a little funny, "I mean to not know who your family is."

"She knows who her family it," Peter said slightly confused, "The Lost Boys and I are her family."

"But what about parents?"

"All parents want us to do is grow up and neither Aria nor I want to do that. Now be quiet or you'll scare the mermaids."

Wendy nodded and looked at the water expectantly for the creatures of her dreams. Yes, Aria was a mermaid but she hadn't known that earlier and she hadn't seen her tail. She looked like a normal girl. Wendy suspected that real mermaids would be the most beautiful of creatures and much better than the other girl. Peter pulls out his pan flute when he sees Wendy is finally done asking questions and plays a short tune. He then lowers the flute and looks expectantly at the water. Within moments seven mermaids emerge from the fathoms below.

"Oh, how sweet." Wendy exclaims. Peter turns and gives her a weird look, "Are mermaids not sweet?"

"They'll sweetly drown you if you get too close." Peter responded. Wendy look taken back this was not what she had been expecting at all.

Three of the mermaids broke from their pod and swam to the shore where Peter and Wendy were resting. Peter leaned in closer to the water to talk to Narcissa and Marina. He asked them in their language of clicks if they had seen Hook with two boys. Why they were replying their companion Eris was became interested in Peter's companion. She was young girl about Peter's age and for some reason Eric immediately disliked her. She reached out slowly and grabbed Wendy's hand and lock eyes with the young girl. She slowly pulled Wendy's hand into the water, when suddenly a huge wall of water rose in between them and dashed down scattering the mermaids. Peter looked back over Aria who had moved closer to the pair.

"I hate Eris." Aria said as she dropped her hands. Wendy looked back at the other girl and realized that Aria had saved her from being drowned.

"Thank-you." Wendy said to her. Aria nodded and took a step forward only to falter. Peter rushed up and went to help her.

"Are you okay?" He asked her softly.

"Fine, I just haven't used my powers in so long."

Peter nodded and picked up his friend. He turned back to Wendy to tell her what the mermaids had said.

"Hook has your brothers at the Black Castle." Peter told her.

"What's that?" Wendy asked. The two Neverlanders share a look.

"Not somewhere nice." Aria answered, "Not nice at all."

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Peter and the girls took off and flew towards the ruins off the coast of Neverland. They landed on the roof of one of the castle's broken towers. Peter pulled two swords from a sheath on his back.

"I brought these." Peter asked turning towards Wendy, "Can you use it?"

She smiled at the offered weapon and took it from Peter. Peter got into a fighting stance inviting her to give it a go. Aria stepped back with her own weapon drawn awaiting instructions. Wendy swung first and Peter blocked her blow. Peter then tested her footwork and Wendy was surprisingly able to keep up with him. Seeing that she could defend herself, Peter stepped back.

"Promise me one thing. Leave Hook to me." Peter told Wendy.

"I promise." Wendy vowed. Peter smiled and ran over to Aria and grabbed her hand, pulling to along to the edge.

"Wait here for my signal." Peter told Wendy as he took off with Aria.

"Wait here?" Wendy protested, "Peter!"

Peter and Aria ignored her as they circled the castle and found an opening in the back of the castle. Wendy looked all over for the pair so she could follow them. Her search was put on hold when she heard the echoing sound of footsteps coming towards her. Wendy ducked behind some pieces of fallen wall so not to be spotted. She heard the clang of the iron gate hit against the rock as someone swung it open.

Curious as to who had arrived on the roof, Wendy found a small gap among the rocks and looked through it. It was then she first saw him, the figure that had haunted not only her stories but her dreams as well. She became entranced by his piercing eyes, they held so much emotion and things longing to be uncovered. It was not until Hook returned inside that she realized that she had seen eyes like those before. The same shade of blue that hid the same amount of mystery. But for the life of her she couldn't remember where.

Meanwhile, Peter and Aria were inside having a bit of fun. They had found a small opening and climbed through to the main hall of the castle. They found a perch upon the outstretched hand of a statue. They looked down below to see the Princess Tiger Lily and two boys chained to a rock. The tide was beginning to rise and soon the water would overtake them. Mr. Smee and another pirate were beginning to row to the gate, when Peter called out to them in their captain's voice.

"Mr. Smee?"

"That you, Cap'n?" Mr. Smee asked perking up at the sound of the familiar voice.

"Brimstone and gall, man. What do you think you're doing?"

"Well, we've put the children on the rope, Cap'n, like you said."

"Set 'em free!" Peter ordered in Hook's voice.

"Set 'em free?" Smee asked confused, "Well what about your trap?"

"Set them free, or I'll plunge my hook in you." Peter yelled, Aria quietly snickered into her hand. Peter gave her a mischievous grin. Smee sighs and rows the boat back to the rock where the other children are chained.

"I don't know what he wants with 'em. I'm just a blithering idiot, aren't I?" Smee complained to his companion, as they free the children, "Chain 'em up. Let 'em go. And take your cat with ya."

Smee then throws Michael's bear to him just as the real Captain Hook returns to the Castle. When Tiger Lily sees Hook's silhouette coming down the stairs, she whispers something to the boys in her language. John wasn't sure what she was saying, but when he saw Hook and saw that the Princess has sunk below the water he caught on quickly. He dove below the water and pulled his brother under with him. They swam under the walkway where they had enough room to hold their heads above water.

"Mr. Smee?" the real Captain called out to his first mate.

"Aye, Cap'n?" Smee called out.

"Any sign of him?"

"No, Cap'n."

"Where are the children?" Hook asked as he just now noticed they were gone.

"It's all right, Cap'n. We let 'em go."

"You what?' Hook asked taking a step closer to them.

"We let 'em go."

Hook started laughing, and his men started laughing along with him even though they didn't know why their Captain was.

"You…let…them…go." Hook said in a dangerous tone. The smiling faces of his crew morphed into ones of fear. Hook pointed his gun at them and fired one shot. Both men clutched their chests. Smee looked down and found to his surprise he hadn't been shot and turns to his companion who had a hole in his chest. The man faltered and fell into the water below.

"One down, two to go," Peter said to Aria before calling out again in Hook's voice, "Mr. Smee!"

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Smee screamed in terror. Aria giggled quietly.

"Who are you stranger?" Hook asked the mysterious voice.

"I am James Hook, Captain of the Jolly Rodger."

"If you are Hook, then who am I?" Hook inquired, baiting the mysterious voice. He was beginning to dawn on the pirate who the voice may be.

"You are a codfish." The voice replied. Peter looked at the girl beside him who was barely containing her laughter and let out a few chuckles himself. Aria was the first one to call him that because a codfish was the wimpiest fish in all the sea.

"Tell me, Hook, "Hook began silencing Peter's laughter, "have you another name?"

"Aye."

"Vegetable?"

"No."

"Mineral?"

"No."

"Animal?"

"Yes."

"Man?" Peter yelled out in his own voice. Aria's eyes grew wide.

"Boy?"

"Yes."

"Ordinary boy?"

"No!"

"Extraordinary boy?"

"Yes! Do you give up?" Peter asked standing up, pulling Aria with him.

"Yes!" Smee called out.

"I am…" Peter said.

"Peter look out!" Wendy screamed. Peter turned and saw Hook pointing his rifle at him. Aria had a quicker reaction time and pushed Peter off the hand of the statue as Hook fired. Peter caught himself and flew upwards, but Aria's shoulder was grazed by the bullet.

"No, Aria!" Peter exclaimed. Hook looked startled by the fact he had shot the mermaid instead of the boy. He takes a step forward to see if she's okay, but she gives him a dirty look and shakes her head before leaning back and falling into the water below.

"Aria!" Hook exclaims quietly. What had he done? Within moments of the gun shot more pirates descended upon the castle. One even had a cannon fitted on a row boat.

"There he is!" The pirate shouted pointing at Peter high in the air.

"It is your requiem mass, boy." Hook told his advisory, shaking off the guilt he felt for firing upon the little mermaid. Peter drew his sword and slashed at Hook.

"You hurt her." Peter yelled.

"Not by choice. I was aiming for you. Funny standing next to you was how she got hurt the last time too." Hook baited. Peter grew angrier, and lashes out again. Hook blocked his blow. Peter eyes Hook's human hand before turning back to the pirate.

"Ready to lose the other one?" Peter taunted.

"Not this time." The pirate captain gritted out. He pushed Peter back, and the boy goes airborne. Peter flies back towards Hook and the two lock swords again. Peter flips over Hook and tries to stab his back but Hook manages to turn and time and stop him with his metal hand. The two continued to clash using the whole as their battle ground.

"If I were you," Hook said between swings, "I'd give up."

"If you were me, I'd be ugly." Peter responded. Hook began swinging angrily and with more power as the young handsome Peter had struck a nerve. In his ire he manages to capture Peter in a tight hold.

"Ready?" He asks one of his pirates, who nods eagerly, "Fire!"

Hook flings Peter in the line of the cannon fire. The cannonball breaks into four pieces and reveals a net. The net hurtles towards Peter entrapping the boy. He falls like a rock into the sea below. Peter struggles against his restraints. He's starting to lose oxygen when he catches a flash of familiar red hair. Aria swam towards him and grabs the net surrounding him and tries to unravel it but it's no use. She then spots his dagger on his hip and grabs it. She cuts at the ropes and manages to free him. She then wraps her good arm around his waist and tugs him to the surface.

She swam him over to a rock and helps him get a good grasp on the chains on the rock, before letting him go. She floated behind him just in case he needed any help. Peter begins to climb up coughing up water as he does so. When he reaches the top of the rock he is greeted by a familiar pair of boots. Peter quickly stands up and goes to stab the Captain. But Peter is tired from being underwater so long and his reflexes weren't as quick as they usually were allowing Hook to grab his arm, stopping him.

"Peter!" Aria exclaimed and she began to pull herself up the chains, but the pain in her shoulder was too much and she slipped back into the water.

"Turn the boat around!" She heard Wendy yell. Aria turned and saw the boat was changing course and swam away to give it room. As she's giving the longboat room, Peter is thrown on the ground by the Captain. Hook goes to stab Peter with his hook and Peter manages to grab it just in time to slow down its descent. Hook scrapes his metal hand against the boy's chest, just with enough pressure to draw blood.

"And now, Peter Pan, you shall die." Hook said. The boy looked at him and then out to the water seeing Aria in the distance he gives her a small smile before turning back to the Captain.

"To die will be an awfully big adventure." Peter told him. Hook draws back his hook ready to stab the boy when sound of a ticking clock echoed throughout the castle.

"Oh no." The Captain breathed fearfully.

"Hope you don't mind, Captain, but I didn't see how we could have a party and not invite Tick Tock." Aria said smugly from behind the Captain. Hook looked over his shoulder at the girl, who was giving him a self-satisfied smirk. And under all his fear and anxiety, Hook felt proud. The mermaid was more devious than he ever gave her credit for. Maybe she was pirate after all.

A roar from the gate distracts Hook from his musings. Hook stands up from his crouch and looks in terror at the monster that has haunted him for decades.

"Shoot it!" Hook screams. His men ignore him and flee in terror. Angrily Hook turns back to Peter, thinking to himself if he was going to die today, he was going to take Peter with him. He goes to stab the boy, but he is no longer there. The sound of children's laughter draws his attention to one of the long boats where Peter Pan stands triumphantly on the aft.

"You." Hook breathes staring down his advisory. Peter salutes him. Hook goes to lunge after him but the crocodile jumps out of the water at him. Hook retreats to the safety of the statue that Peter was resting on earlier. The crocodile jumps out of the water and bites the statues hand but misses the pirate. He is not deterred and continues after his prey. Aria looks on the situation and laughs before ducking under the gate and following after Peter and the others.

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_Hope you all like this alternate version of the Peter Pan movie. I personally think having Aria in it spices things up. Please review and let me know what you think. _


	3. An Awfully Big Adventure

**AU: Peter Pan **

AN: _Hey guys this is the last installment of the 2003 Peter Pan, I really hope you enjoy it. _

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Once the children entered the shallow waters, Peter and Tiger Lily jumped out to help drag Aria onto the shore, being careful of her injured shoulder. Once they reached land they were greeted by Tinkerbell. She chimed incessantly in Peter's ear, yelling at him for returning with a hurt Aria.

"Tink." Aria protested. Tinkerbell stopped her harassment of Peter, but continued to give him an angry look.

"Go tell the Lost Boys to meet us at the Indian village." Peter told the fairy. She narrowed her eyes at him once more before flying off to get the boys. After she left, the Darlings finally tugged the boat on shore and were racing up the beach to where Peter and Tiger Lily were waiting for Aria's tail to recede.

"Wow!" Wendy exclaimed in wonderment when she caught sight of the other girl's tail, "You really are a mermaid."

Aria smiled smugly.

"Can I touch it?" John asked. Aria nodded and the boy crouched down and reached out to run his hand over the mermaid's tail. But just when his hand was about to touch it, Peter's hand shot out and stopped him. Everyone looked at him oddly, why did he stop John?

"Your hands are wet, if you touch her it will take longer for her to dry off." Peter explained away his behavior. He would never admit, well out loud anyway, that he didn't want the Darling boy anywhere near Aria, let alone touch her tail. John continued to give him an odd look, but pulled back his hand.

Peter picked up a nearby palm branch and began fanning Aria's tail. They couldn't move her when she was like this, her tail was too heavy and cumbersome. After a few minutes, the Darlings watched in awe, as the girl's tail began to glow before shrinking and splitting in two. Once the glow receded her two legs and skirt the same color as her deep blue tail was in its place.

"Wow!" the exclaimed. Tiger Lily and Peter were unfazed and immediately got to work. The Indian princess checked her shoulder.

"The medicine woman should be able to fix this." She told Peter in her language. Peter nodded and picked up the mermaid.

"I can walk, Peter," Aria protested, "It was my shoulder that was injured, not my legs."

Peter shrugged awkwardly with her in his arms before starting after Tiger Lily who was motioning for them all to follow her. John immediately jumped up and went after her, and cut in front of Peter and Aria, while the others took up the rear.

The moment they stepped into the circle of homes, they were bombarded by members of the tribe. They all fawned over Tiger Lily thankful for her safe return. Peter grew impatient with their fawning. Couldn't they see that his Aria was injured? Once he reached his limit of being ignored he cleared his throat. This caused everyone to look at him and notice the wounded mermaid in his arms. The medicine woman rushed over and checks Aria's shoulder.

"It's not too deep, but she'll still need to be sown up." She said to Peter in the Indian language. Peter nodded. She gestured with her hands for him to follow her. Peter carried Aria into the tent the medicine woman indicated. The woman pointed to a bedroll next to the fire.

"Place her on the furs." She told Peter.

"But she's a mermaid." Peter protested, "She can't be that close to a fire."

The medicine woman narrowed her eyes at him before moving the bedroll some distance away from the fire, so Aria would be more comfortable. Satisfied by the woman's actions, Peter nodded and gently laid Aria on the bed of furs.

"You are being utterly ridiculous." Aria complained fondly. Peter frowned at her. Didn't she realize she had been shot at? She could have been seriously hurt. Seeing his frown Aria just rolled her eyes. Overprotective fool, she was stopped from telling him so, by the return of the medicine woman, Wise Willow, with the supplies necessary to sew up the mermaid.

"This will hurt, little fish." Wise Willow warned Aria. Aria gave her an understanding smile before reaching out to grab Peter's hand. She then nods at the medicine woman, letting her know she can begin. Aria only winced once as the needle pierced her skin. Once the needle passed through the first time she just bit her lip and kept a firm grip on Peter's hand, not making one peep. Peter squeezed her hand reassuringly and didn't let go, not even when the medicine woman was done.

The medicine woman wrapped a bandage around Aria's shoulder. She then took a pouch from the belt around her waist and handed it to Peter.

"Powder will keep the wound clean." She told pair, "Sprinkle it on two times a day, one at morning and one at night."

"Thank-you, Wise Willow," Aria told the medicine woman. Wise Willow nodded and gave the girl a fond smile, before shooing the two of them out of the tent so she could prep the then for her next patient. The moment Aria steps out of the tent she is swept away from Peter by Tiger Lily and some of the other girls of the tribe.

"Aria!" Peter called out in distress. Aria laughed.

"It's alright Peter, I'll be back." She called to him. The Indian girls giggled and took her to Tiger Lily's Teepee. They sat Aria down and began working on her hair. They brushed it free of tangles and began to braid flower intermittently in her hair. They then help her clean up and replace her cloths with a deerskin one-shoulder dress. They sent her clothes to be washed, before starting on Tiger Lily. While the other girls combed Tiger Lily's hair, Aria cleaned her friend's face of the ruined paint before redoing it. The girls continued to dress each other up until the last girl had been readied for the celebration.

The girls returned to the medicine woman's tent because Tiger Lily was to participate in the ceremony for Michael's bear, who had been instrumental in the defeat of the pirates. In the process the poor teddy had lost his head. In return for his bravery the bear was to receive a healing ceremony. As they approached the tent as giant mass rushed them and pounced on Aria.

"Mother!" the Lost Boys exclaimed as they gave her a group hug.

"Hello, Boys!" she greeted.

"Tink said you had been shot." Nibs informed her.

"Does it hurt much, Mother?" the Twins ask in unison.

"It's barely a scratch." Aria answered rolling her eyes. She can only imagine what Tink has said to the Boys. She probably almost died in Tink's story.

"Come, she is ready." One of the warriors called out to the Lost Boys. They turned to look at him and ran to the tent. Nibs however stayed behind for a moment.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Nibs asked Aria. Aria smiled and nodded. Reassured the boy left her to join the others for the ceremony. Aria made to follow him, but a hand reached out and pulled her aside. She gasped and turned to face her attacker, but instead of an enemy she saw Peter.

"Peter?" Aria asked. He didn't say anything, just took hold of her wounded shoulder and ran his thumb over it lightly.

"This is the second time that you've been hurt because of me." Peter said softly.

"And how many times have you been hurt because of me, Peter?" She replied.

"That's different." Peter responded.

"How is it different?" Aria asked him cocking her head in confusion.

"Fathers are supposed to save mothers." Peter answered. Aria gave him a fond smile.

"And friends are supposed to protect each other." She told him softly, "You watch my back and I'll watch yours."

Peter nodded in agreement, that sounded fair, except…

"I still don't like seeing you hurt."

"And I don't like seeing you hurt, Peter, so it looks like we're just going to have to do better jobs of taking care of each other."

Peter nodded, if that's what it took, he would do it. Aria smiled at him, glad to see he was feeling more at ease.

"Come on lets join the others." Aria said tugging Peter along. But Peter dug his heel in stopping them both. She turned back to him with a confused pout.

"We'll come back for them later." He said, "The fairies are having a ball tonight."

"A ball?" the mermaid exclaimed, her eyes aglow with excitement. Peter felt that weird feeling in his stomach again as she looked at him. He shook it off and nodded at her. Her grin grew wide and she tugged on Peter's hands, "Let's got then."

Peter laughed and stopped her again. He reeled her in and wrapped an arm securely around her waist and rose up in the air. He flew her over the trees to a small clearing near the fairy court. Both were unaware that Wendy had spotted them and was following them on foot.

Once the pair reached the clearing they ducked under the tall ferns and other plants to make their way to the hollow tree where the fairy King and Queen held court. Peter kept a firm hold on Aria's hand as they walked, and not just because he liked holding her hand, but to stop her from running ahead and spooking the fairies. Watching the fairy balls was one of Aria's favorite things and as long as the two of them were quiet the fairies tolerated their presence. But sometimes Aria's excitement became too much and she would sing and spin in circles until she was dizzy and fell, which would get her promptly removed from the fairies' realm. Normally Peter wouldn't mind this, but since she got hurt because of him today he wanted to make sure this night was special for her.

Peter took the lead and gently pulled Aria after him. He stopped at the tree and helped Aria climb one of the roots so she could look through one of the windows into the ballroom. Peter then climbed up behind her, so he could take a look. However, as he often did, Peter found himself watching Aria more than the King and Queen's dance. He liked watching her expressions, the way the glow of the fairy dust made her blues eyes shine, the way the light seemed to change the color of her hair. He knew he hadn't always looked at Aria like that, he remembered a time when he would just sit at the base of the tree carving something out of wood while Aria watched the ball. But then one day, something changed and he found himself looking for any opportunity to be next to her. He never took time to think why, something about these feelings scared him. Yet another part of him yearned for him to explore where these feelings might take him.

In the middle of his musings, Aria turned her head to look at him, as she sensed him looking at her. He quickly turned away, blushing at being caught. Aria scrunched her eyebrows in confusion before turning back to the ball. When she sensed his eyes on her again, she moved to face him again. This time he didn't look away, He smiled at her before hopping off the root. He moved a few feet away before turning to face her. He bowed in her direction, before holding out his hand if offering. Aria smiles and climbed down from the root. She walked towards him and took his hand dropping into a curtsey. Peter holds up his other hand and Aria slips her hand into his hold. She then moves his other hand to her waist and the lays her own hand on his shoulder. Peter stiffens at the movement at first, but soon relaxes into a smile. He takes the first step and leads Aria into the dance he has watched the fairies do. As they dance they lift off into the air unknowingly. Peter twirls her around much to her delight, and when he pulls her in neither of them realize the earlier distance between them had vanished. The pair continued their waltz in the sky completely unware of anyone but each other, let alone their odd audience below.

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After nearly being eaten by the beast that took his hand, Hook wanted to spend some time on land. He was walking near the Indian settlement when fairies flew past him in a rush. He turned to see what had flying pest going crazy and almost wished he ignored him. Up in the sky surrounded by fairies were Peter Pan and the little mermaid.

"Evil Day." He said to himself as he watched the pair dance in the light of the full moon. He saw the look on his nemesis' face and unlike Peter, he could give a name to the emotions dashing across the boy's face. Peter Pan was in love, or at least the closest thing to it that an immortal boy can feel. And the girl…the girl looked at Pan like he was most important person in her world. Hook stumbled back, struck by the force of his ire and jealousy. Pan had not only taken his hand but the love of his little girl. He hadn't even gotten to get the chance to be her father before another male swooped in and stole her. When he found out about the connection that he and the mermaid shared, Hook had been …happy. He had someone to carry on his legacy. However, he found it difficult to form a relationship with his daughter. She actually had run from him when he told her. He had hurt her and the people important to her too many times for any trust to be built between them. It was one of the many regrets Hook let build up within himself.

Sounds of sniffling broke Hook out of his musings and he looked towards where the sound was coming from. It was one of Pan's new companions, the girl. She was looking up at the couple in the sky with tears catching in the corners of her eyes.

"He does adore her, doesn't he?" Hook asked. The girl jumps completely startled by his voice. She turns and looks at him with wide eyes that go from sadness to fear. She starts to walk backwards to escape him.

"Please don't run, I'm not going to hurt you." Hook told her. She looked unsure but stopped anyway, 'What's your name?"

"Wendy. Wendy Darling." She replied softly.

"Wendy?" Hook repeated testing the odd name, "I see you have fallen prey to Pan's boyish charms as well."

Wendy blushed and looked down at her feet. Hook making tsking noises with his tongue.

"No need to be ashamed girl, you're not the first to do so."

"He cares a great deal for her." She said answering his earlier question. Hook turned back to watch his daughter dancing with the boy. They were well above the tree line, and Peter was twirling her around.

"Yes, he does," He said almost sadly. Then a wicked idea came to him, he could use this girl and her broken heart to his advantage. She must know where Pan's hideout was. And once he was given the location he could end the boy once and for all, "How about we return to my ship, you look like you could use a spot of tea."

Wendy looked up at him in surprise and found herself nodding. Hook grinned and offered the girl his arm and led her in the direction of the Jolly Rodger.

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Peter pulls Aria closer only to lower her down in a dip. Aria laughs and Peter smiles before raising her up. Once he had righted her, he realized how close she is, well wrapped in his arms, his face mere inches from her. The weird feeling in his stomach flares up and he finds himself leaning in, but to do what he didn't know. Not wanting to appear unsure in front of the mermaid, he pulls back and loosens his hold on her.

"We should probably get back, the others will be wondering where we are." Peter said to her. He watched as Aria's face fell.

"Oh, yes, the others." She responded sadly starting to descend. Peter frowned.

"Aria?" He asked. Sher turned her sparkling blue eyes up at him, catching him off guard for a second.

"Yes?" she said.

"Is something wrong?"

"No, Peter," she answered, "I just wasn't ready for the night to end."

Peter gave her a half smile.

"Don't be sad," he said, "we'll come and dance at the next ball."

"Really?" Aria asked, brightening again. Peter nodded. Happily, Aria spun in the sky before continuing to descend. Peter grinned. He had made her happy again, and if he had his way she would always be happy.

The pair landed and Aria reached for Peter's hand as they walked back towards the Indian encampment. They found the boys dancing around the fire, whooping and hollering along with the other dancers. Aria tugged loose of Peter's grasp and entered the dance. She let the music take as she joined hands with Nibs and Slightly. Tinkerbell zipped in between the dancers enjoying her own dance. Aria beckoned for Peter to join them, but he shook his head, content in watching his family enjoy their night.

After some time, he pulled Slightly out and ordered him to collect the others. As if he had been tasked with something of great importance, he went about his duty and gathered his friends.

"Where's Wendy?" Michael asked once they had started walking. They all look around but none of them could spot her.

"She probably went back to her house." Slightly said, "It's been a long day."

"Yes, it has." Aria seconded when she noticed one of the twins practically sleep walking. She smiled at him before turning and offering her back for a piggy-back ride. The boy happily agreed, and hopped on, and the group started off again. Tinkerbell flew ahead to light the way as Peter led his family back to their home. As they walked Arian and Nibs started whistling fun little tune about following the leader and soon the other joined in as well. And they filled the jungle with music all the way home.

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"_Now we are ready to head for the Horn,  
Weigh, hey, roll an' go!  
Our boots an' our clothes boys are all in the pawn,  
To be rollickin' randy dandy O!_

_Heave a pawl, oh, heave away,  
Weigh, hey, roll and go!  
The anchor's on board an' the cable's all stored,  
To be rollickin' randy dandy O!_

_Oh, man the stout caps'n and heave with a will,  
Weigh, hey, roll an' go!  
Soon we'll be drivin' her 'way up the hill.  
To be rollickin' randy dandy O!_

_Heave a pawl, oh, heave away,  
Weigh, hey, roll and go!  
The anchor's on board an' the cable's all stored,  
To be rollickin' randy dandy O!_

_Heave away, bullies, ye parish-rigged bums,  
Weigh, hey, roll and go!  
Take yer hands from yer pockets and don't suck yer thumbs.  
To be rollickin' randy dandy O!_

_Heave a pawl, oh, heave away,  
Weigh, hey, roll and go!  
The anchor's on board an' the cable's all stored,  
To be rollickin' randy dandy O!_

_We're outward bound for Vallipo Bay,  
Weigh, hey, roll and go!  
Get crackin', me lads, it's a hell of a way!  
To be rollickin' randy dandy O!_

_Heave a pawl, oh, heave away,  
Weigh, hey, roll and go!  
The anchor's on board an' the cable's all stored,  
To be rollickin' randy dandy O!_

_Heave a pawl, oh, heave away,  
Weigh, hey, roll and go!  
The anchor's on board an' the cable's all stored,  
To be rollickin' randy dandy O!"_

The Captain entertained his young guest with a performance on the large grand piano he had aboard ship. Upon finishing his song, Wendy placed down her cup of tea and clapped her hands.

"You play beautifully," she complimented the Captain. Hook rose and bowed towards her, before taking a seat across from her. Smee came around and set a glass of wine in front of him, which Hook immediately took a sip of.

"So let me see if I got your story straight, you ran away from home and with a boy your parents wouldn't approve of." Hook said to Wendy, taking another sip of his wine.

"I-I had never thought of it that way." Wendy said thoughtfully, as Smee refilled her tea "I suppose I did."

"How wonderful, that's how all the best stories start."

"My parents wanted me to grow up."

"Growing up is such a barbarous business, full of inconvenience and pimples. I for one can't remember why I decided to do so myself."

"Things were simpler when I was younger."

"And the mess starts, the feelings come." Hook finishes her thought, "Pan is so lucky to be relatively untroubled by them."

Wendy looked up at him in confusion and disappointment. Hook caught the look over the glass of wine he was sipping and knew now was the time to strike.

"Oh, no. He cannot love. It's part of the riddle of his being.

"But what about Aria? He seems to care a great deal for her," Wendy asked, her tone both jealous and hopeful.

"Aria is his oldest and dearest friend. Of course he cares for her. What he feels for her is the closest he'll ever come to loving someone. Though between me and you, I think you and Peter, are much more suited for one another," Hook said conspiratorially, "But in the end he will fail her too, because like you, she'll eventually want more and never receive it. To love would mean he would have to grow up and he will always choose youth over you and her. "

He watched as tears began tumbling down the girl's face as the realization hit her that Peter would truly never return her feelings. He rises and goes over to her.

"There, there," he comforts the girl wiping away her tears with a handkerchief, "It doesn't have to be this way. Didst thou ever want to be a pirate, my hearty? "

The girl laughed.

"I once thought of calling myself…" she started.

"Mm?" he prompted.

"Red-Handed Jill."

"Oh, what a marvelous name!" He exclaimed to Smee as he rose from his crouch, "That's what we'll call you if you join us."

"But what would my duties be?" she asked, "I could not be expected to pillage."

"Do you, um, by any chance tell stories?" Hook asked. The girl eagerly nodded.

"Wonderful." The Captain said his grin turning smug. He had the girl, all she would need was some slight prodding and Pan would be his. And he would get his daughter.

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After telling the crew one of her favorite stories, she asked the Captain for more time to consider his offer. He of course agreed to her request and then had Smee escort her back to the house the Lost Boys had made her. She rather liked Mr. Smee, he was very nice and answered any questions she had, however she was not fond of his parrot. He was mean, scraggily looking thing, who said things she knew would cause her Aunt Millicent to go into shock.

Smee dropped her off at her home and bid her goodnight. She returned the gesture and entered her house. She promptly fell asleep dreaming about sword-fighting, sailing the high seas, and dances in the air.

The next morning, Wendy headed to Peter's hideout to join the Lost Boys and her brothers for breakfast. She treaded carefully and made sure no one followed her. Though Hook had reassured her that he cared not for Peter anymore, she knew that pirates were not the most honest of folks and kept on guard. She however didn't watch out for strange birds who may be watching.

She was greeted with some level of enthusiasm when she arrived at the hideout and her brothers asked after her, wondering where she had gone off to last night. She told them she had gone on a walk before returning home. They didn't notice the lie that was in front of them and just hugged her before heading to the breakfast table. While the Boys dug in, Wendy sat and contemplated Hook's offer. What if she did become a pirate? What would mother think of her being a pirate? The more and more she thought about it the more she realized she couldn't remember her mother clearly. It was like looking through a fog, and it scared her.

"John." She called out. He didn't hear and continued on with the story he was telling, "John!"

"Yes?"

"What is your father's name?"

"My father's name?" he asked confused, "Peter."

"Father!" Nibs said toasting their leader.

"Yea, Peter!" Michael seconded. This caused Wendy to turn to her younger brother.

"Michael, who is your mother?"

"Aria is my mother, Wendy." Michael answered.

"And isn't she just first class?" Slightly asked. The boys make noises of agreement, but they are cut off by the sound of a howling wolf. Wendy turns to see Peter descending into the hideout with the redheaded girl in tow.

"There's a new pirate aboard the Jolly Rodger. " Peter announces walking across the room to get a sword.

"The mermaids say she is called Red-Handed Jill," Aria says with a roll of her eyes as she takes a seat on the bench next to Nibs, "A stupid name if you ask me, not very piratety at all."

Wendy frowned at the other girl's comment. She liked the name she thought it sounded very menacing, and what did she know about being a pirate anyway.

"Another adventure, boys." Nibs said rising, "Come on!"

The other boys cheered in agreement, and got up from the table looking for weapons.

"Red-Handed Jill?" Tootles said, "I don't know, I think she sounds quite fearsome!"

Wendy smiled to herself.

"Fearsome," Aria scoffed. Peter nodded with her.

"She's just a storyteller." Peter told the Boys.

"Just a storyteller," Wendy asked indignantly, slamming her hands on the table as she stood up, "Red-Handed Jill may be a brave swordsman."

The others looked at each other before erupting in laughter.

"A girl like her?" Slightly laugher, causing Aria to stop.

"Watch yourself boy." Aria said lowly, "One girl is worth 20 boys."

Slightly nodded his head frantically, before ducking behind Peter. Peter grinned as his Lost Boy cowered from the mermaid. Glad that for once he was not on the receiving end of his friend's wrath.

"Brave or not," Peter said, "I shall run her through!"

The boys cheered again at their leader's statement. Wendy trembled in anger before grabbing the nearest sword. The boys noticed her movements and immediately quieted down.

"Then ready yourself, Peter Pan," She threatened, "for I am Red-Handed Jill."

"Wendy?" John asked in shock.

"Tis true, John. Your sister had been invited to piracy." She announced. Upon hearing her confession, Peter made his way to her. Aria decided now was time to intervene, and rose as well and went to Peter's side. She grasped his hand and forearm in case she needed to prevent him from fighting.

"But, Wendy, Hook is a fiend." Curly told her.

"And the bounder." Slightly added.

"On the contrary." Wendy disagreed, "I find Captain Hook to be an extraordinary man."

Peter took offense to her description of his an enemy, only he could be extraordinary. He shook loose of Aria's hold and swung his sword at Wendy. She managed to deflect it with her own sword, but in the process Peter was able to disarm her. He then held his sword at her neck in warning. The others gasp behind him.

"Sir, you are both ungallant and deficient." Wendy said to Peter.

"How am I deficient?" Peter questioned.

"You're just a boy." She responded. Peter lowers his sword. Something about the way she said it cut Peter at the core, and made him think of Aria. He had witnessed men with women, how med protected and cared for the woman they were closest to, in a way he as boy could not. That's one of the reasons he came up with this whole Father and Mother business, to try and prove himself to her. Did Aria see him as deficient too, because he was just a boy? He looked back at her, and she was glaring at Wendy with all her might. Maybe she didn't agree after all.

"Are you really to be a pirate, Wendy?" Michael asked.

"No," she answered, "We are going home."

"Home?" Michael protests.

"Leave Neverland?" John asks. The Lost Boys voice their disapproval as well. Wendy smiles sadly and walks past Peter to her brothers. Aria ignores the family drama going on and takes hold of Peter's hand. She knows he hates it when people leave him and decide to grow up. With her other hand she cups his face and rubs his cheek. He leans into her touch almost instinctively.

"I'm not going anywhere Peter Pan," she promised. He smiled into her hand.

"We must leave at once before we…in turn are forgotten." The pair overheard Wendy say to her brothers.

"I've forgotten…my parents." John said as the realization hit, "We must leave."

"No, Peter, no, please," The Lost Boys pleaded with their leader. They had grown fond of John and Michael. And Wendy did tell the best stories. Peter looked down at Aria, who nodded. She would never say anything about it to him, but Aria did miss her own mother and would jump at the chance to see her again. Let the Darlings return home to their mother, and if it got that Wendy girl away from her Peter well then that was just an added bonus. Peter sighed after seeing her answer and turned to face the group.

"If you wish it." He told the Darlings.

"If you wish it?" Slightly questioned him.

"Slightly." Aria warned and he immediately backed down, "If they wish to go, then that is their choice. We aren't like the pirates who keep people against their will."

"We shall ask one of the winter fairies to take you home, after breakfast." Peter said, "Come on, Aria."

The boy pulled his friend into the air with him. She followed after him with no complaint eager for the Wendy girl to leave and for things to go back to normal.

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An hour later, Peter returned to the inner hideout without Aria in tow. She had chosen to remain outside chatting with the winter fairy. She absolutely hated the cold but had a fascination with snowflake design. The fairy, Dash, was more than willing to explain his job to the eager mermaid, no one at home was this excited to learn about his job as most of the other fairies he knew were doing the same job. Both were so caught up in their conversation they didn't notice the figures haunting the forest behind them, until it was too late. A hand latched down on Aria's mouth as an arm snuck around her waist. She thrashed against her kidnapper but his grip was too strong.

"There's no such things as fairies," she heard a familiar voice say next to her. She saw Hook out of the corner of her eye come alongside her, as her new friend fell to the ground. She screamed against her captor's hand.

"Hello, Aria." Hook greeted her, "I've come to take you home."

Aria muttered something indignantly.

"Now, now that's no way to talk to your father." Hook admonished her, "Seems that insolent boy is worse of an influence then I thought. But no worry, he soon will no longer be a problem."

Aria lunged at him, but her restrainer caught her again, and pulled into a tighter hold.

"Well you definitely got your temper from your mother's side of the family."

Aria scowled.

"Oh look, Captain, the Lost Boys." Smee said from beside his Captain pointing to the entrance of the hideout.

"Get them." Hook ordered. His men grinned wickedly and pounced on the unsuspecting Lost Boys. Aria fought harder than ever to reach her friends but couldn't shake loose. She watched helplessly as they were captured and tied up. After all the Boys were restrained, the pirates merged with the jungle once more…waiting. The door lifts again, and Aria wishes for it to be Peter. Peter would know what to do, he always did. But instead of the green clad form she had hoped for, it was Wendy. Aria watched as the other girl's looked up and saw the captured Lost Boys, and then look around as the pirate emerged. One of them came up behind her and gagged her and tied her hands. Hook swaggered towards his new acquisitions and stopped in front of Wendy.

"A new era begins. Take them away." Hook ordered his men. Aria felt a sharp tug before being half-dragged through the jungle to the beach.

3333333

Once Hook had gotten the little pests out of the way he crept into the hideout to take out the big pest. He had to keep ducking his head as some of the ceilings were too low for an adult. He heard mumbling noises coming from a room in the back and followed the sounds till he found a sleeping Peter Pan. Hook reached down to attempt to cut of the boy's head but he couldn't reach through the roots that encaged Peter's room. The most he could reach was the tip of the boy's hair. He huffed in frustration and thought about cutting through the roots to get to Pan no matter how much noise it would make. But then Hook spotted something in the corner of his eye….a flower cup.

He moved along the hall to reach the spot where he knew he would have more access to the flower cup. If he couldn't remove Pan's head there were other ways of taking care of that infernal boy for good. Hook reached into a compartment in the base of his metal hand and pulled out a vial of the poison he created using his own tears. The poisonous qualities along with the feelings of malice, jealousy and disappointment would kill the boy quickly and he would never be a problem again. He opened the mouth of the skull lid and let a drop fall from it. It turned the water a deep blood red before becoming transparent, like nothing was ever there. Hook grinned darkly before disappearing into the shadows and making his way home, to his ship.

3333333

Peter jolts away banging his head on the roots above his bed.

"I was not asleep," he immediately defended himself. Aria would often hit him like this to wake him up. But when he looked around she was nowhere to be seen, "Aria? Aria? Are you there? "

He wondered where she could have gotten off too. He rose from his bed and started to walk across the room to grab a piece of starfruit before going to search for her. Out of the corner of his he caught sight of the medicine Wendy had left for him. He made a face at it and walked past it, but only made it a few steps before sighing and turning on his heel. He made his way over to the table and grabbed the flower cup. As he went to drink, a golden figure flew in front of his mouth. Tinkerbell held his lips together with all her might so he wouldn't drink the stuff.

She had been flying around earlier looking for lost things to put in her room in the tree fort, when she saw the pirates. They were dragging and carrying the Lost Boys and the girls towards the beach. Aria had caught sight of her, and she gave the fairy a pleading look.

_ Peter,"_ the look said, "_Go get Peter!"_

Without another thought the fairy took off for the hollowed out tree to find Peter. When she came upon the tree she saw Hook and Smee outside. Hook was tucking a vial back into his fake hand. She saw the skull head capped vial, the one everyone knew contained a deadly poison. She flew around the back of the tree and entered one of her entrance holes. When she saw Peter go to drink from the flower cup she knew she had to stop him, what if that is what Hook had poisoned? If Peter was dead who would save the others?

"Tink." Peter groans annoyed. He grabs her by her wings and pulls her off. She chatters too quickly for him to catch her story so he lets out a huge breath letting her fly into a pile of coins. He grins out her victoriously and goes to drink his medicine again. Tink yells at him and shoots up into the air and flies in front of his mouth again. She drinks the liquid, before he can. Peter spits her out of his mouth and she flies across the room again. But this time she doesn't get very far and starts to descend over the table. Her wings sputter for a bit, but she could no longer stay up and drops like a rock.

"Tink?" Peter asks forgetting his anger over the medicine as he sees his friend fall, "Tinkerbell? Tink?"

He climbs up on the table after his fairy to where she lay next to one of Aria's shells.

"Tink?" he tries again once he has reached her, "Why is your light going out?"

He reaches his finger out to her and finds he cold as winter.

"Tink, why are you so cold?" he asks, he takes one of the candles nearby and puts even closer to the fairy, "Stay warm, Tink. Stay Warm."

She gives him a small smile and her light flickers one last time before going out.

"No! No!' Peter says, he picks up Tink and heads outside, maybe the sun will warm her, maybe she isn't dead. He lays her down on the ground and leans over her, "Please, come back. Please, Tink, don't leave me. Forgive me, Tink. I'm sorry I yelled at you. I'm so sorry, Tink. Please forgive me. Tink!"

3333333

Dark storm cloud thundered from the island, expanding rapidly over the Never Sea. Smee smiled at the sight and ran quickly over to his Captain to tell him the good news.

"Captain, Captain look at the sky." He told Hook as thunder rumbled, Hook did so and saw the storm approaching, "And look at the water."

Hook pushed past the other pirated and made his way to railing, and looked down at the churning waters below.

"Nooooo!" A voice echoed from the island.

"Pan must be dead." Smee speculated. The Lost Boys protested the fact, it was impossible in their minds for Pan to die.

"No." Aria whispered. Just one word but it spook of a heartbreak that few have ever experienced. She turned her head into her hair to hide her tears from the pirates, but try as she might she could not silence the broken sobs.

"Ship's company, hats off!" Hook bellowed. Aria heard the shuffling noises of the pirates removing their headwear all around her, "A moment's silence for out fallen enemy, Peter Pan."

There was a brief pause; the only noise came from the howling wintery winds.

"We sail at dawn!" Hook yelled, breaking the silence. The deck broke out in cheers. The crew was happy to finally get away from this accursed island. Hook went below deck as the crew began moving around top deck, setting up the plank for the execution of the Lost Boys and Wendy while others rushed around to prepare the ship for tomorrow's journey.

Aria was not to walk the plank for Hook planned on taking her with him, and besides what good would it trying to drown a mermaid. In all honesty though, Aria wished he would try rather than spend her days with him. Besides she felt as if she were dead anyway, like she died when Peter took his last breath.

It took the pirates only a few moments to set up the plank and once they finished their task they were more than eager to get the show on the road. Some of them crowded around the Boys taunting them about who would be first to die. The Lost Boys pleaded with them to no avail. Nibs yelled out to Aria who only had her hands bound. He knew she could help, but it was like his pleas fell on deaf ears, she couldn't hear anything but Peter's desperate cry.

"No, no!" one pirate yelled to his comrades from Wendy's side, "Girlies always go first."

The Boys soon protested against the death of their friend and sister. Nibs tried Aria again, but still she was silent. Then a loud clap of thunder shattered the sky, and Aria heard a voice. One that was familiar as her own and he was chanting.

"I do believe in fairies," she said in a confused tone.

"You what?" one of the pirates asked her.

"I do believe in fairies." She repeated, louder than before, "I do believe in fairies! I do! I do!"

"I do believe in fairies," Nibs found himself saying along with her, he turned to Curly who was seated next to him, "I do believe in fairies. I do. I do."

"I do believe in fairies, "Curly said, and the rest of the boys joined in, "I do. I do."

Soon Wendy was saying it as well and all of them chanted in over and over much to the fright of the pirates around them. They started to back away from the Lost Boys fearing they were possessed, it got too much for one of Hook's men and he unsheathed his sword and ran at them menacingly.

"Stow that gab, or I'll run you through!" he yelled, but almost as he was possessed as well his threat fell into the chant, "Believe in fairies! I do! I do!"

Aria watched in amazement as the rest of the pirates caught the bug and started chanting as well. They began running around and banging their heads against things to get whatever had possessed them out. Aria laughed at them as she continued to chant and that's when she saw it the ray of light breaking through the winter clouds. While they chanted the ray grew and Aria could see the sun again. Peter…Peter was alive. Aria's heart started racing and the ice that had frozen her blood had begun to thaw. He had returned to her.

"He's alive!" Hook screamed once the storm at completely ceased. He started shoving his way through his men towards his daughter. She was the one closest to him, she should be able to hell him why Pan survived, "Why is he? What is he? Surely there's enough pirate's blood in you for you to be able to tell a good story."

"I only sing." She replied smartly.

"Then you'll sing us a song." Hook ordered, "The song of Peter Pan."

"Mates, the Captain's daughter is going to sing us a song." Smee announced. The crew cheered and began scrambling around to find a good seat.

"The Captains what?" Slightly asked.

"Oh, didn't she tell you?" Hook asked turning to the Lost Boys, "Your precious Aria is half pirate. But don't hold it against her, she was unaware of her heritage until a few months ago and hasn't had a chance to be a real pirate yet. A fact I intend to rectify once you all walk the plank and I wear Pan's blood on my Hook."

Aria snarled and lunged at him, but the pirate watching her grabbed her before she could attack her father. Her father clucked his tongue in rebuke.

"Such manners." He said to her, "Now sing us a song."

"_There was a time when I was alone  
Nowhere to go and no place to call home  
My only friend was the man in the moon  
And even sometimes he would go away, too_

_Then one night, as I closed my eyes  
I saw a shadow flying high  
He came to me with the sweetest smile  
Told me he wanted to talk for awhile  
He said, "Peter Pan—that's what they call me.  
I promise that you'll never be lonely."  
And ever since that day...  
_

_I am a lost boy from Neverland  
Usually hanging out with Peter Pan  
And when we're bored we play in the woods  
Always on the run from Captain Hook  
"Run, run, lost boy," they say to me.  
Away from all of reality  
_

_Neverland is home to lost boys like me  
And lost boys like me are free  
_

_He sprinkled me in pixie dust and told me to believe  
Believe in him and believe in me  
Together we will fly away in a cloud of green  
To your beautiful destiny  
As we soared above the town that never loved me  
I realized I finally had a family  
Soon enough we reached Neverland  
Peacefully my feet hit the sand  
And ever since that day..._

_I am a lost boy from Neverland  
Usually hanging out with Peter Pan  
And when we're bored we play in the woods  
Always on the run from Captain Hook  
"Run, run, lost boy," they say to me.  
Away from all of reality_

_Neverland is home to lost boys like me  
And lost boys like me are free." _

The sound of clapping erupted across the deck as the mermaid finished her song. The crew whistled and shouted praises at her. But her father was unimpressed with his daughter's talent. The song told him nothing about Pan, except her saved her after her mother abandoned her. Wait…she was the first one Pan recruited and the until Wendy's arrival the only girl.

"Yes, yes, lovely song, But why you? You were the first Lost One that Pan collected, what was it about you?"

Aria eyed her father defiantly; he wasn't going to get anything out of her.

"Why did Peter Pan choose you?" Hook demanded. That's when he saw it, a flash of emotion in her blue eyes. She loved him, and Pan…Pan loved her too.

"So he can love." Hook said to himself. He looked up and saw the panic in Aria's eyes, "He loves you."

He tugs Aria by her ropes and presents her to the crowd.

"Turns out she's good for something after all men, we hold in our hands Pan's greatness weakness…his…precious…little…mermaid." Hook announced to the crew, he pulls his daughter against his chest and hisses her in ear, "In your song he taught you to fly, how?"

Aria clamped her mouth shut.

"How?" Hook yelled yanking her hair.

"You just think happy thoughts." She replied, "They left you into the air."

"Alas, I have no happy thoughts."

"That brings you down."

Hook was not happy with her answer and yanked her hair again exposing her neck. He placed his hook against it.

"No!" the Lost Boys and Wendy protested.

"How else?" he hissed. He wasn't going to kill her, but he saw how protective the Lost Boys were of h45, they would tell him to save her life.

"Leave her alone!" Nibs yelled. Hook pressed down on her throat a little harder.

"It's fairy dust. You need fairy dust!" Michael exclaimed.

"Michael!" Wendy and the Lost Boys scolded. Hook grins and loosens his grip on his daughter and turns her to face him.

"What of Pan?" he asked, "Will unhappy thoughts bring him down?

"He has no unhappy thoughts." Aria answered.

"What if his Aria lost her hand?"

The crew roared in agreement drowning out the cries of the Lost Boys. Hook pushed her forward and the crew scrambled around to set up a chopping block on top of one of the barrels. While they did that Hook freed her from her bonds and grabbed her right hand. He pulled her along to the makeshift block. Aria struggled against the hold, but then she caught sight of something, a pair of green eyes looking at her over the plank…Peter. He was telling her something through a language only years of friendship could decipher. She nodded

Suddenly a ticking noise sounded from the port side. Hook looked up in fright, loosening his grip on Aria just enough for her to get loose. She quickly turns on her heel and sprints across the deck.

"No! Grab her!" Hook orders, but it's too late. She runs onto the plank and springboards of the end amidst the ticking clock noises. She does one flip in the air before falling to the depths below. The crew and Hook rush to the port side to see what had become of the mermaid but she's nowhere to be seen. Something about her fall struck Smee as odd.

"Captain did you hear her hit the water? Because I didn't." Smee said to Hook. Hook looks thoughtfully and then turns to look down at the water.

"The Beast must have gotten her." Hook speculated. Aria grinned from her spot in Peter's arms. Peter had fooled him. She turned her face up to Peter, who was smiling down at her. He took the hand Hook had planned to cut off and placed it against his mouth and lightly kissed it. She beamed up at him.

The ticking sound began up again, but this time from the other side of the ship.

"Starboard side!" one of the pirates yelled. Aria and Peter heard them all racing across the deck.

"It looks for more, Captain!" Noodler called out.

"Then let's give it more." Hook replied, "To the plank."

"No!" Aria heard the Boys and Wendy yell. Her previously happy expression turned into one of panic.

"Drop me, Peter." She said to him, "Drop me and rescue them."

Peter shook his head and pulled Aria closer. He knew what he was doing.

"Silence, puling spawn!" Hook they heard Hook order the Boys, "I'll show you the road to dusty death."

The Boys continue to squirm and beg, in frustration Hook grabs Michael and cuts him loose. He takes him by the back of his collar with his hook and carries him over to the plank. He stops short when the ticking sound starts coming from the sky.

"Into the rigging with you!" Hook orders, his voice panicking, "Hunt it down! Move, you scabs!"

The men quickly followed their Captains orders and climbed up the ropes in search of the dreaded Crocodile. Hook ran inside and came back out with two rifles. He would be ready this time; the animal would not take another chunk out of him. He strode back out onto the deck; kicking John on his was to find the beast. Once he his was far enough away, Peter landed in front of the Lost Boys with Aria safely in his arms. The Lost Boys and the Darlings gasped and laughed in surprise. Their sounds of joy caught the Captain's attention and he started to turn towards them. Seeing this Peter placed Aria on her feet before tugging her behind the mast to hide with him. The other children smiled "innocently" at the Captain in an attempt not to alert him of Peter's presence.

Peter drew out his dagger as her heard Hook's footsteps come closer. Then suddenly there was a loud splash and Hook was distracted once again.

"What was that?" he asked as Peter and Aria snuck behind him, Aria to gather weapons and Peter to free the Lost Boys and the Darlings. Almost as if he was sensing Pan's presence, Hook spun around to face his adolescent prisoners. Nibs barely had enough time to move as to hide Peter from Hook. Suspicious but not so much so, Hook ignored the children and walked past them, looking for where the beast may turn up next.

"It's here Captain!" Alf exclaimed, "Accursed beast! Your time is up!"

Hook turns in the direction of Alf's cries just in time to see him fall into the waves below. And then that's when he saw him…Peter Pan.

"So, Peter Pan…this is all your doing."

"Aye, James Hook. It's all my doing." Peter bragged.

"Proud and insolent youth," Hook said lowly as he drew forth his sword, "prepare to meet thy doom."

"Have at thee!" Peter exclaims as he swings his sword. The two enter into a dance only experience swordsman would know. The clanging of their swords soon caught the attention of the other pirates and they swung down from the riggings to join in the fight.

"Leave him!" Hook yelled when he saw some of the crew try to attack his nemesis, "He's mine."

"Now!" Peter yelled. The doors that led below deck swung opened and the other children ran out screaming their battle cries. They engage the pirates while Peter and Hook resume their war. The two fight their way up the stairs and onto the quarterdeck. Hook stands in front of the stern and Peter tries to run him through only for his sword to get stuck in the wheel. Hook spins the wheel. Peter almost loses his sword but manages to pull it out in the end and strike at the older man again. After exchanging a few blows, the Captain uses his hook to disarm the boy. His actions cause the sword to fly in the air. Peter springs up to catch it.

One of the pirates who had yet to climb down seized Pan's foot. He held tight against the boy's tugs and called out to his Captain.

"I've got him, Captain, I've got him." he exclaimed. Peter just rolled his eyes and took off pulling the man into the air. He flew around and around and then angled himself towards the mast and flew straight to it, dodging just in time for him to miss it. However his carry-on went right smack into it. Hook growled in frustration. He looked around to find something to use against Pan, and he spotted the fairy. With a wicked grin he snuck up on her and grabbed the little sprite.

"Oh, no!" she exclaimed. Hook ignored her and shook her tiny frame letting the dust the movement created fall all over him. He began to think all matter of nasty thoughts that made him happy and he soon felt himself lifting into the air. He yells in triumphant.

"It's Hook! He flies!" He exclaimed heading straight for Pan. Surprised Peter barely manages to block the oncoming blow of Hook's sword. Using the fact that Pan was unbalanced Hook flung Pan into the sails. He gets a better grip on his sword before readying to charge.

"And he likes it." Hook said before swinging his sword to cut off Peter's head. Peter shoots up and Hook only manages to damage his sail. Peter flies behind the pirate Captain and kicks him the back sending hurtling into the large sail.

"You want to fly? Let's fly." Peter taunted. Laughingly Peter shoots up above the ship with Hook close behind. Once they are high in the sky, Peter turns to face his enemy. The pair began exchanging blows again, matching each other hit for hit.

"Not bad," Peter compliments his foe, "for an old man."

Hook growls and uses his hook to try to disarm Pan, but all he ends up doing I causing them to spin higher in the sky.

"I know what you are," Hook yells at him.

"I'm the best there ever was." Peter supplied as he disengages and flies downwards.

"You're a tragedy," Hook replies striking another blow that Peter easily manages to block.

Peter laughs and does a backwards loop over the old man's head kicking him in the back again. Hook ends up face planting the canvas again. Hook turns and growls at Peter who is suspiciously hold a rope.

"Me? Tragic?" Peter asks before slicing the rope he was holding. It sends riggings flying towards who moves out of the way and barely felt the sting of the rebound.

"She's mine, Pan." Hook said. Peter paused in his charge at Hook, scrunching his eyebrows in confusion, "Your Aria is my daughter. Oh, didn't she tell you? I thought you two shared everything. She must not have trusted you enough with her little secret."

Hook watched Pan who hadn't taken his eyes off his daughter since the moment he had said her name. He watched as the emotions of betrayal, anger…heartbrokenness crosses his face. He grinned roguishly and took this moment to strike. Peter barely managed to block the blow so caught up in trying to figure out why Aria had lied to him.

Hook had noticed the block was slower and weaker than before and decided to continue to destroy Pan from the inside out.

"No matter, I shall take her away from here, she will no longer be a problem for you." Hook said knocking Peter into the riggings with his metal hands, "Let's now take a peep into the future, shall we? What is this I see it is the fair Aria I see."

Peter yelled and came at Hook. As upset as he was, he still wouldn't allow anyone to take her from him. Hook blocked Pan's blow and used the force between the swords to send Pete hurtling in the sky.

"She's onboard my ship in the Captain's quarters. The window is shut." Hook continued.

"I'll open it." Peter grunted as he swung his sward downwards at the Captain.

"I'm afraid the window is bared, don't want to catch a chill." Hook said as he faked shivering.

"I'll call out her name."

"She can't hear you, roaring waves and all."

"No!" Peter protested.

"She can't see you." Hook continued to twist the emotional knife.

"Aria!" Peter called out.

"She's all grown up now Pan, she's forgotten all about you." Hook taunted.

"Stop! Please! Stop it!" Peter pleaded, he wanted this future to end. Hook ignored his pleas, and slices a whole in the canvas behind Peter and kicks him through.

"And what is this I see? The door to the Captain's Quarters is opening, oh she's very happy to see this newcomer. But who is it?" Hook asked, "It's a man, a tall strong man and oh and what is he doing? He's standing in your place, right next to her. Is he holding her hand? Do you know what she calls him?"

Peter shook his head, descending as if every word was a rope pulling him down.

"Her lover." Hook informs him. Something about that word sliced into Peter's heart, and in a desperate attempt, her swings his sword at Hook. Hook deflects the blow and strikes one of his own that sends Peter plummeting to the deck floor. Everyone single one of the combatants freeze. No one couldn't believe it; Peter Pan was down. Hook landed in front of him and placed the tip of his sword against Peter's neck. He presses it lightly and forces Pan to rise. Once he has gotten Pan on his feet, he kicks him in his stomach, sending him into the mast. Hook then flies to Pan and holds him by the throat.

"No!" Aria cries and makes a move to run to him. A pirate grabs her arms and pulls her back and she's force to watch as her father strikes Peter's head with his hook. Aria struggles to get to him as Peter fell, but is roughly pulled back as the crew made room for Hook's kill. Hook knelt down and picked up Peter's head. Tinkerbell attempted to dive bomb Hook, but he knocks her away. Slightly manages to catch her, but the pirate holding him squeezes his hand shut so she can't try again.

"You die alone," Hook whispered in Peter's ear and throws him down on the ground, "and I'm going to make her watch."

Aria tried to turn away. She didn't want to give her father any help in destroying her friend. But the pirate holding her forced her face back towards Peter and held her tightly. Hook stands up and readies his blade.

"No!" the children scream, except for Aria. She had no voice, she can only look upon the boy she loved. Peter turns his head towards her looking utterly defeated. Peter Pan never failed, this wasn't right. As her father begins to drawback his arm to strike, Aria stomps down hard on the instep of her captor's foot and elbows him the face. Once free she lunges for Hook's elbow, halting his movements. Hook looks her in the eye before flinging her down next to the boy below. The Boys loudly protested the treatment of their sister and Hook raised his hook to silence them.

"Silence all!" Hook ordered, "For Aria's farewell."

Seeing as she had the Captain's permission, Aria turned on her side to look at Peter and grabbed his hand.

"Peter, I'm sorry, I should have told you he was my father. I thou…I thought you would leave me If I said anything." She confessed to her friend. Peter's eyebrows knitted in confusion, why, that was absurd.

"Me leave you?" Peter asked turning his head. Aria nodded. Peter smiled softly at her and cupped her cheek, "Never."

"I have something of yours, Peter." She said. He cocked his head, "It's always belonged to you."

"What?" Peter asked her. Aria smiled and propped herself on her elbow. With her other hand she reached up and ran her thumb over his cheek before leaning down and capturing his lips with her own. Peter lays there frozen in shock, she was touching him in a way she had never had before. But soon his brain started to catch up and he realized he liked the feeling. He began to kiss her back and thread his hand into her hair to keep her close. All too soon for him she pulled back and rubbed her nose against his. Pan smiles at her and a thundering noise starts in the distance. Not knowing what was going on Hook yanked his daughter up to him.

Peter's smile grows bigger and bigger. He then begins to start glowing, a pinkish color that got darker in color.

"Brace yourselves lads." Slightly told the boys and the Darlings.

"Tis a powerful thing." Tootles adds, as he watches the sky and stars swirl in the sky. Hook moves his daughter aside to get a better look at Peter. The other pirates gather round to view the strange sight as well.

"Pan, you're pink."

With the pirates distracted Tinkerbell shook loose and flew to the ship's bell and gave it a good ring. Nibs headed her warning and knelt on the ground covering his head, Slightly saw his actions and followed suit, soon all the children were ready for whatever was going to happen.

Meanwhile Peter was still growing pinker and some of stars had fallen from the sky and were swirling around him. Something powerful was building.

"Split my infinitives!' Hook exclaimed. Suddenly Peter screams and the force of the energy he was releasing sent all the pirates flying. He shot off in the air, relishing in the new feelings awoken in him. He then swooped down and grabbed two swords and flew up to where Hook was caught in the riggings. He frees his adversary and throws him the second sword. He then gets in a fighting stance daring Hook to come try him.

"No!" Hook yells in frustration as he flies at Peter, "I have won!"

Peter laughs and flies just above Hook's back and runs across the pirate's back.

"Whoo-hoo!" Peter exclaims laughingly. He then turns back to the pirate ready for more, "You are old."

"But I won!" Hook whined blocking Peter's blow. Hook slashes at Peter, but Peter easily manages to evade it. Peter maneuvers his sword to lift Hook's neck.

"Old." One of the twins proclaimed. Hook growls and uses his sword to get Peter's away from his neck.

"And alone." Peter adds. He then catches Hook's sword and spins the man around and around, before propelling him over the water.

"Alone." The other twin says.

"No! I won! I won!" Hook cried as he descended. To make matters worse, the roar of the crocodile sounds below him. He looks down and sees the man-eating crocodile waiting for him, jaws audibly snapping.

"Done for." Wendy sentences him.

"Happy thoughts. Happy thoughts." Hook chants. "Ripping! Killing! Killing! Choking! Lawyers! Dentists!"

"Old! Alone! Done For!" the children chant from the deck as Hook struggles to rise.

"Puss. Uh, children's blood. Puppies blood." Hook tries again, but the Lost Ones' words still run through his head, "Disease, scabs, kittens dashed on spikes! No!"

"Old. Alone. Done for!" the chanting continues. Hook looks down and there's barely a foot between him and the monster's mouth.

"White death! Black death!" Hook screams, "Any death! A nice cup of tea!"

Hook realizes he's no longer rising even an inch. He sighs and resigns himself to his fate.

"Old. Alone." He says.

"Done for." The children yell.

"Done for." He repeats folding his arms like a cross against his chest and lets himself plummet right into the mouth of the beast. The beast eats him in one bite before sinking below the waters depths. The Lost Ones and the Darlings erupt in cheers, they had finally defeated Captain Hook. They grab hands and jump around the deck.

"Brimstone and gall! Silence you dogs!" Hook's voice exclaims from behind him. They all stop and look in the direction of the voice expecting to see a ghost. But it was just Peter wearing Hook's hat, "Or I'll cast anchor in you."

The Lost Ones laugh and rush towards the stairs where their leader was standing.

"We won! We won!" they exclaim.

"Ready to cast off?" Peter asks them in his voice.

"Aye, Aye Captain," The Boys and Wendy say before saluting him. They then rush off to ready the ship to sail. But Aria stays at the bottom of the stairs looking at the boy she loved. Peter smiles softly and makes his way down the stairs. He wraps his arm around her waist and pulls her closer and he takes his new hat off with the other. Dropping it on the ground, he raises his hand to her cheek, before leaning down to kiss her again. He feels Aria smile against his lips before returning the kiss. This time he pulls way first and rubs his nose against hers.

"Always." Aria whispers. Pan grins and kisses her forehead before releasing her. He lifts two fingers to his mouth and lets out a whistle. The forest on the nearby shore begins to illuminate from the light of hundreds of fairies. Those tiny lights rose in the air and flew over the sea to the pirate ship. The fairies latch on to the boat and to everyone's amazement the boat lifts in to the air. Once it was airborne the fairies abandon the ship, as it had enough dust to travel back and forth.

The Jolly Rodger flies them safely into London and Peter docks the boat above the Darling home. Wendy asks the Lost Boys if they still want to come home with her, but they declined. They were not quite ready to give up the adventures Neverland had to offer. Wendy nodded. She knew one day they would have to grow up, everyone had to even Peter Pan, but she didn't begrudge them the extra time as children.

John and Michael said their good-byes to the Boys, before moving to Aria and Peter. Hugging Aria good-bye was more than a bit difficult as Peter refused to release her from his side. But in the end they were able to bid their adieus and then flew down to the nursery window.

"Are you sure you all won't come with us?" Wendy asked, "There's plenty of room, even for you Aria."

The Lost Ones all looked at each other, and smiled.

"I think we'll be alright, Wendy, we already have a family." Aria answered for the group. Wendy nodded.

She climbs on the railing and gets ready to descend, but stops herself and turns back to Peter.

"You won't forget about us will you?" she asked him, "I mean you'll still come to hear the stories?"

"Of course I'll come back to hear stories," Peter said, "Stories about me."

Wendy smiled. This was the Peter she would remember, for she knew he wouldn't come back. There were too many adventures out there for him remember everything. She waved good-bye and flew through the nursery window. It was time for her to grow up.

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_Epilogue…_

_ Aria and Peter did grow up just like Wendy predicted, their feelings for each other were larger than their thirteen year old bodies could hold. However, they did not reach adulthood. They had stopped at seventeen and hadn't aged since. _

_ Some of the Lost Boys aged too stopping anywhere from 15 to 17. Once they got older, Slightly, Curly, and Tootles took Wendy up on her offer and went to live with the Darlings. They went on to school, then an office, had families. New Lost Boys-Felix, Devin, Rufio- replaced them. They were good boys, eager for adventure and to be part of the family the Lost Ones created. _

_ "Aria?" Peter called out looking for his mermaid. He had searched from top to bottom of his Aria's private home, and had yet to come across her._

_ "In here, Peter." Aria called out from a room in the back of the treehouse. Peter sighed in relief, and jogged to the room. When he entered it, she was facing away from him running her hands over a piece of furniture Rufio had made. Peter smiles and came up behind her wrapped his arms around her waist. He rubbed circles over her slightly bulging stomach, as he rested his chin on her shoulder._

_ "It's beautiful." Aria said, "Do you think the baby will like it?"_

_ Baby. Their baby. Peter smiled at the thought._

_ "I think the baby will love it." Peter said kissing her temple. Aria grinned._

_ "What about us? Do you think they'll like us?" Aria asked, worry tinging her tone. Peter laughed. _

_ "Well I know for a fact they'll love you." Peter told her, "How could they not?"_

_ Aria smiled and turned her head to capture Peter's lips._

_ "And they'll adore you." She whispered against his lips. Peter grinned and kissed her again._

_ "Always." He said softly._

_ "Always." She repeated. Peter closed the gap between them once more and sealed their promise with a kiss. _

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_I hope you enjoyed the last chapter of the Aria infused 2003 Peter Pan. The song that Aria sang was Lost Boy by Ruth B. _


End file.
